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^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  *^ 


Presented    b^SrO  vSoVrvX)(s\Ai  vW-^D-X. 


I 


BX  9211  .N70462"F605~l885~ 

Centennial  services  of  the 
Fourth  Presbyterian  Church 


/  1   ^! 


Centennial  Services 


pouRTH  Presbyterian  (]hurch 


1/ 


Of  the  City  of  New-York 


••••.............••*• 


October  25— November  i 
1885 


1785 

The    Fourth    Presbyterian   Church, 

^l^ipt^-Foapbl^  Sstpect, 
Vs/e^hofJRpoadv/ay 

yNIevyoH^(3ih> 

Joseph  R,  Kerr,  d.d.,  pastor. 


1885 


Preliminary  Proceedings. 


URSUANT  to  a  notice  from  the  pulpit, 
a  meeting  of  the  congregation  was  held 
in  the  Lecture-room  on  Wednesday 
evening,  June  i6,  1885,  for  the  purpose 
of  considering  the  propriety  of  celebrating  the 
centennial  of  the  church. 

After  organization  and  some  explanatory  words 
by  the  pastor,  it  was  resolved  to  approve  the 
suggestions  of  the  Session  for  holding  special 
public  services,  beginning  on  the  twenty-fifth 
of  October,  continuing  through  the  week,  and 
closing  on  the  first  of  November;  and  a  General 
Committee,  representing,  the  older  members  and 
families  of  the  church,  was  appointed  to  make 
all   necessary   arrangements. 


General  Committee* 


HONORARY. 


Rev.  John  Spaulding,  D.D,,    Joseph  G.  Harrison, 
Rev,  Joseph  R.  Kerr,  D.D,,     William  Eagle, 
David  Morrison. 


RULING  ELDERS'  WIDOWS. 

Mrs.  John  Aitken,  Mrs.  Samuel  Kydd, 

Mrs.  James  Allen,  Mrs.  William  Dalrymple, 

Mrs.  John  Kirkpatrick,  Mrs.  John  Iverach, 

Mrs.  James  Stuart. 


ELDERS. 

Archibald  McLintock, 
James  Kydd. 


TRUSTEES. 

John  L.  Cameron, 
John  H.  Allen. 


CONGREGATION. 


Robt.  Marshall,  Mrs. 

James  McGay,  Mrs. 

John  McIntire,  Mrs. 

Andrew  Craig,  Mrs. 

James  Nicholson,  Mrs. 

Walter  Stevenson,  Mrs. 

Thomas  D.  Brown,  Mrs. 

William  A.  Morrison,  Mrs. 

William  Allan,  Mrs. 

Thomas  T.  Allan,  Mrs. 

William  Taylor,  Mrs. 

Henry  Paige,  Miss 

Duncan  Macfarlane,  Miss 

James  A,  Craig,  Miss 

Thomas  Cochrane,  Miss 


Robert  Dinwiddie, 
William  Harrison, 
Frederick  Blume, 
C.  W.  Cameron, 
A.  M.  Stewart, 
Thomas  Kirkpatrick, 
James  Cameron, 
James  Kydd, 
r.  a.  dorman, 
Elizabeth  Hooker, 
J.  B.  Mattison, 
Margaret  F.  Haggart, 
Maggie  S.  Strachan, 
Ella  I.  Morrison, 
Grace  L.  Ritchie. 


ARCHIBALD   McLINTOCK,  Chairman. 


Andrew  Craig,  Secretary.         John  H.  Allen,  Treasurer. 


^inmtt  Committee, 

John  H.  Allen,  Chairman,  William  Allan, 

Robert  Marshall,  Mrs.  William  Harrison, 

John  McIntire,  Mrs.  Frederick  Blume, 

Thomas  U.  Brown,  Mrs.  Thomas  Kirkpatrick, 

John  L.  Cameron,  Mrs.  R.  A.  Dorman, 

James  A.  Craig. 


printing  Committee* 

James  Kydd,  Chairman,  James  Nicholson, 

John  L.  Cameron,  Duncan  Macfarlane, 

William  A.  Morrison. 


Sociable  Committee* 

James  McGay,  Chairman,  Mrs.  William  Harrison, 

James  A.  Craig,  Mrs.  James  Kydd, 

William  Taylor,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hooker, 

Thomas  Cochrane,  Miss  Maggie  S.  Strachan, 

Thomas  T.  Allan,  Miss  Grace  L.  Ritchie, 

Mrs.  a.  M.  Stewart,  Miss  Ella  I.  Morrison, 
Mrs.  James  Cameron. 


Welcome  Committee* 

Archibald  McLintock,  Ch'n,  Mrs.  Robert  Dinwiddie, 
Robert  Marshall,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Cameron, 

Thomas  D.  Brown,  Mrs.  William  Harrison, 

James  Kydd,  Mrs.  Frederick  Blume, 

John  McIntire,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Mattison, 

Henry  Paige,  Miss  Margaret  F.  Haggart. 


SDecoration  Committee. 

Andrew  Craig,  Chairman,        Mrs.  R.  A.  Dorman, 
John  H.  Allen,  Mrs.  James  Kydd, 

Walter  Stevenson,  Miss  Maggie  S.  Strachan, 

Mrs.  Thomas  Kirkpatrick. 


(^mttx^  of  tjjc  c&u«&» 

lSg5. 
^t\i.  ^ti^t^^  %*  ^etr,  2D3»,  ^asftor. 


RULING   ELDERS. 

Archibald  McLintock.  James  Kydd. 

Joseph  A.  MacDonald.  Alexander  Mackenzie. 

James  R.  Cuming.  John  H.  MacDonald. 

Henry  Cole  Smith.  Frederick  Blume, 

Clerk  of  Session, 


BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES. 

David  Morrison,  Pres.  John  L.  Cameron,  Sec'y. 

Francis  Pringle,  Vice-Pres.  John  H.  Allen,  Treas. 

Joseph  G.  Harrison. 

Marcus  B.  Bookstaver. 


Minister  at  the  West  Side  Chapel. 
Rev.  W.  J.  Macdowell. 


'^hc  '^nviiaiion. 


^ou  are  cordially  invited  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  special  (Slentennial 
-Services  of  this  (Shurch,  begin- 
ning on  Sabbath,  October  the  twenty- 
fifth,  continuing  through  the  week  and  con- 
cluding on  Sabbath,  QTtovember  the  ^irst, 
©ighteen  hundred  and  ©ighty-five. 


The  Church  at  the  Corner  of  Grand  and  Mercer  Streets. 


Sabbath,  October  2^,  188$. 


¥ 


Divine  Service  at  i  i  A.  M. 
Sermon  by  the  J^ev.  John  Xhomson,  D.  D. 


Divine  Service  at  4  P.  M. 
Historical  SeRmon  by  the  Pastor. 


^ 


The  Revs.  S.  D.  Alexander,  D.  D.,  E.  D.  G.  Prime,  D.  D., 
John  Spaulding,  D.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  IV.  J.  Macdowell  took 
part  in  these  services. 


Sermon 


REV.  John  Thomson,  d.  d. 


(3r6e  4Biorp  \of)icf)  (Cfiou  oa\jc»"t  mc  31  liatoe  oiben  tkm.— john  xvii.  22. 


T  the  close  of  His  farewell  address  to 
His  disciples,  and  in  full  view  of  His 
betrayal  and  approaching  sufferings, 
tthe  Lord  offered  the  prayer  which 
this  chapter  contains.  It  is  commonly  called 
His  intercessory  prayer,  as  it  refers  mainly 
to  "those  whom  the  Father  had  given  Him" 
that  their  number  might  be  completed,  and  so  the 
glorious  body  that,  in  the  eternal  purpose  of  God, 
they  compose,  be  finished,  and  made  perfect. 
You  observe  that  He  intercedes  on  their  behalf 
that  they  may  be  sanctified,  brought  together, 
made   one,  and  finally  that  they  may  be    made 


perfect  in  glory.  In  the  purpose  of  God,  which 
was  fully  and  absolutely  known  to  Him,  His  glory 
as  the  appointed  Mediator  was  secured.  It  was 
His  glory.  He  saw  it  before  Him,  and  longed 
for  its  full  possession.  The  glory  of  all  whom 
the  Father  had  given  Him  was  involved  in  the 
same  divine  purpose.  His  own  glory  as  the 
Father's  gift,  and  their  glory  in  Him  as  the  elect 
of  God,  and  the  objects  of  His  redeeming  love. 
Through  the  intervening  veil  of  His  unparalleled 
sufferings  the  Lord  saw  this  glory  as  all  His  own, 
and  as  entrusted  to  Him  for  them,  and  set  it  before 
Him  as  a  possession  so  sure,  so  absolutely  certain, 
that  He  may  be  here  understood  as  speaking  of 
it  by  way  of  anticipation.  It  hangs  on  no  con- 
ceivable contingency,  nothing  can  divert  it  from 
Him,  nor  hinder  His  people's  participation  in  it, 
and  therefore  He  is  fully  warranted  in  speaking 
of  it  as  He  here  does, — as  a  possession  received 
by  Him,  and  by  Him  bestowed  on  them.  By 
the  Father's  purpose  it  was  already  His.  In  His 
intention  it  was  already  theirs.  "The  glory 
which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them." 

Let  the  question  then  be :  What  is  this  glory 
of  which  the  Lord  here  speaks  as  having  been 
received  of  the  Father,  and  bestowed  by  Him 
upon  those  whom  the  Father  had  given  Him? 
It  can  in  no  sense  be  what  may  be  called  His 
essential   glory,    or   the   glory    that   belongs    to 


15 

His  uncreated  and  eternal  godhead.  For  of  it 
He  says  that  it  was  given  Him  of  His  Father, — 
the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me.  His  om- 
nipotence, omniscience,  and  omnipresence  (e.  g.) 
are  His  glory ;  and  this  He  was  pleased  occa- 
sionally to  display ;  as  in  turning  the  water  into 
wine,  and  in  raising  Lazarus  from  the  dead,  in 
both  which  He  is  said  to  have  manifested  His 
glory.  But  this  glory  is  not  a  derived  glory ;  nor 
one  of  which  He  could  say,  "the  glory  which  thou 
gavest  me  " ;  for  it  is  inherent  in  His  very  nature. 
He  may  veil  it,  or  He  may  hold  it  for  a  season  in 
abeyance,  but  He  cannot  even  for  a  moment  divest 
himself  of  it,  without  at  the  same  time  divesting 
himself  of  His  being.  The  glory  here  spoken  of, 
then,  is  a  glory  which  belongs  to  Him  in  His  medi- 
atorial character  and  office  ;  for  only  in  this  char- 
acter is  the  Son  subordinate  to  the  Father.  Some 
are  of  opinion  that  the  glory  here  referred  to  was 
the  power  of  working  miracles  by  which  His  cause 
and  kingdom  were  declared  to  men ;  but  although 
it  did  please  Him  to  invest  His  first  disciples  with 
this  power,  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  this  is  not 
the  glory  here  indicated,  for  He  prays  in  this  chap- 
ter for  His  disciples  through  all  the  ages,  and  we 
know  that  during  many  ages  of  the  past  that 
power  has  been  withheld  from  the  church,  and  I 
see  not  that  we  have  any  warrant  whatever  to 
expect  that  it  shall  ever  again  be  bestowed. 


i6 

It  was  not,  then,  His  essential  or  inherent  glory, 
for  that  was  never  given,  and  it  was  not  the 
power  of  miracles,  for  that  has  long  been  with- 
drawn ;  but  it  may  be  referred  with  greater  show 
of  reason  to  the  privileges  which  Christ  subject- 
ively hath,  and  which  He  is  graciously  pleased  to 
bestow  upon  them  that  love  Him.  E.g.  We  are 
sons  of  God,  as  well  and  as  truly,  though  not  in 
the  same  intimacy  of  relation  as  He,  yet  are  we 
joint  heirs  with  Him  in  glory  ;  with  Him  we  shall 
be  glorified;  with  Him  we  shall  be  raised  up; 
with  Him  we  shall  reign  ;  with  Him  we  shall  sit  on 
thrones  of  glory,  judging  the  world.  All  with 
Him  !  beloved,  with  Him  !  Oh,  why  is  it  that  we 
go  so  bowed  down  with  our  temptations  and  un- 
worthiness — our  heads  like  a  bulrush — amid  the 
light  and  hope  of  a  divine  declaration  like  this  ? 
Is  it  the  infirmity  only  of  His  blood-bought  chil- 
dren that  they  rise  not  up  to  the  true  dignity  of 
God's  high  calling,  and  that  they  prefer,  on  some 
vague  ground  or  other,  to  go  mourning  all  their 
days,  rather  than  in  possession  and  exercise  of  the 
joy  of  faith  in  their  ever-living  Head,  to  exhibit 
the  same  in  their  walk  and  conversation  before  the 
world  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  His  grace  ?  Oh, 
let  as  many  as  have  this  hope  in  Him,  and  have 
been  taught  by  His  spirit  to  know  and  receive  these 
sayings  of  His, — let  us  arise,  brethren,  and  shake 
ourselves  from  the  dust,  and  put  on  the  beautiful 


17 

garments  that  He  offers  from  His  own  wardrobe, 
and  stand  forth  before  the  world  as  the  sons  of 
God  and  joint  heirs  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
To  do  less  than  this  is  to  dishonor  our  Lord,  to 
pour  contempt  on  His  word,  and  to  weaken  our 
own  testimony  to  His  grace,  and  to  veil  unwar- 
rantably the  glory  which  He  hath  given  us. 

What,  then,  is  this  glory  which  He  hath  received 
of  the  Father  and  hath  given  to  us  ?  Most  certainly 
the  very  choice  and  appointment  of  the  eternal 
Son  to  accomplish  the  redemption  of  men  was 
itself  a  glory  that  was  given  Him  by  the  Father. 
He  saw  and  felt  and  was  fully  conscious  of  the 
glory  that  enwrapped  Him  when  He  thus  stated 
broadly  and  distinctly  the  nature  of  His  own  mis- 
sion in  the  world.  "  The  Son  of  Man  is  come  to 
seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  And 
again :  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 
In  the  position  which  He  occupied  in  coming 
into  the  world  as  a  saviour  and  a  redeemer  of 
lost  sinners  of  mankind.  He  was  there  by  the 
Father's  choice  and  appointment.  He  took  not 
upon  himself  the  honor  of  the  priestly  office. 
He  was  chosen  to  it, —  called  to  it, —  appointed 
to  it, —  and  so  is  He  God's  gift.  This  glory, 
then,  is  conferred  upon  Him ;  He  received  it  of 
the  Father.  In  one  very  high  and  distinguishing 
3 


i8 

sense  Christ  was  glorified,  even  when  the  Lord 
made  to  meet  upon  Him  all  the  iniquities  of  the 
elect ;  and  when  He  bare  our  sins  in  His  own  body- 
on  the  tree, —  for  this  was  done  that  the  lost 
might  be  saved,  that  the  wanderers  might  be 
restored  to  their  Father's  house.  Never  was 
higher  office  known  in  the  universe  of  God,  and 
never  can  there  be,  than  that  which,  on  the 
Father's  election,  the  Son  undertook  to  fulfill. 
About  its  darkest  humiliations,  its  deepest  suffer- 
ings, even  to  that  of  the  death  on  the  cross,  there 
is  a  glory  which  no  creature  could  have  borne. 
Even  before  His  sufferings  began,  and  during  all 
the  years  through  which  they  were  extended,  the 
glory  of  mediation  was  His  by  the  Father's  gift, 
and  given  to  Him  in  order  to  the  salvation  of 
fallen  men.  It  was  His  glory  to  glorify  the  Father 
in  the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession. 
The  end  of  His  appointment  by  the  Father  is  dis- 
tinctly stated,  and  it  is  a  glorious  one  for  man, 
and  a  glorious  one  for  God.  Just  grasp  it,  be- 
loved !  To  save  the  lost,  to  ransom  the  slave,  to 
deliver  the  lawful  captive,  to  storm  the  very- 
stronghold  of  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  to  hurl  him 
from  his  long-usurped  supremacy,  and  to  set  the 
prisoners  free.  What  to  it  are  all  the  noble 
schemes  of  benevolence  and  mercy  in  which  the 
generations  of  men  have  been  engaged?  Bring 
them  all  together,  with  all  the  resources  they  have 


19 

commanded,  and  all  the  energy  they  have  called 
into  action,  and  all  the  benefits  they  have  sought  to 
secure  for  human  kind ;  rid  them  even  of  all  im- 
purities that  may  have  mingled  with  them  from 
age  to  age,  of  human  pride  and  ambition  and  self- 
ishness ;  put  every  one  of  them  in  its  very  best 
and  broadest  and  brightest  light,  and  what  are 
they  when  set  in  contrast  with  the  mission  of  the 
Son  of  God  ? 

We  honor  the  brave  and  the  good  of  the  past, 
whose  labors  and  sufferings  and  self-sacrifice  have 
stirred  our  hearts  and  shamed  our  selfishness ; 
we  sing  their  praises  and  talk  of  their  mighty 
deeds  ;  we  cover  their  infirmities  with  the  mantle 
of  charity,  and  record  their  virtues  on  the  rock 
forever ;  or,  if  alive  and  laboring  still  in  the 
cause  of  humanity,  we  follow  them  in  the  paths 
they  are  pursuing ;  never  more  disposed  to  ap- 
plaud than  just  when  we  see  them  suffering  and 
enduring  hardship  in  the  warfare  to  which  they 
have  given  themselves.  We  know  all  this,  and 
can  enter  intelligently  into  it.  Nor  would  I  pluck 
one  star  from  the  crown  that  sits  upon  the  brow 
of  the  great  and  the  good,  nor  diminish  in  aught 
the  glory  they  have  so  hardly  won ;  and  all  the 
more,  when  I  see  of  many  of  them  that  they  have 
renounced  comfort  and  ease,  their  right  to  enjoy 
which  was  unquestionable,  and  have  not  shrunk 
from  hard  ways,  and  toilsome  and  comfortless,  nor 


20 

from  neglect  and  reproach  in  order  to  work  out 
some  good  for  their  generation.  Do  but  apply 
this  by  way  of  feebly  illustrating  the  mission  of 
Christ  into  the  world,  and  His  complete  and  ac- 
cepted discharge  of  the  same,  and  say,  was  there 
ever  a  grander  or  more  gracious  mission  to  up- 
raise the  fallen,  to  save  the  lost?  And  where,  in 
any  case,  have  been  the  sorrows  like  unto  His  sor- 
row, or  humiliation  or  sufferings  in  any  sense  par- 
allel to  those  which  He  stooped  to  endure  ?  The 
end  which  He  came  to  work  out  is  one  which 
admits  of  no  parallel  between  it  and  any  other 
even  the  very  highest  and  purest  of  philanthropic 
achievements  which  it  has  been  given  to  man 
to  work  out;  and  the  same  is  true  of  His  suffer- 
ings, in  drinking  the  last  bitter  dregs  of  which 
He  proclaimed  himself  the  conqueror.  The  end 
proposed  throws  back  a  marvelous  flood  of  glory 
upon  all  His  humiliations  and  sufferings,  so  that 
the  very  crown  of  thorns  stands  possessed  of  a 
glory  unknown  to  any  other  of  His  many  crowns. 
And  this  glory  He  had  received  from  the  Father, 
and  it  shone  around  Him,  even  in  the  darkest 
hours  of  His  humiliation. 

From  this  point  of  view  may  we  not  inquire 
whether  there  is  not  a  glory  which  Christ  has 
bestowed  and  continues  to  bestow  upon  all  His 
true  disciples  ?  I  think,  from  what  has  been  said, 
the  answer  is  clear.     Was  Paul  correct  when  he 


21 

wrote  thus  of  himself  and  his  brethren  in  the  faith 
of  Christ,  "  None  of  us  liveth  to  himself"?  What 
was  his  meaning  in  such  words  as  these,  but  that 
there  is  a  wide  sweeping  gulf  between  the  end 
which  the  children  of  this  world  propose  to  them- 
selves and  the  high  aim  which  the  follower  of 
Christ  lives  to  achieve  ?  Time  bounds  the  desires 
and  efforts  of  the  one, —  those  of  the  other  are 
concerned  with  time  only  as  the  probation  for, 
the  vestibule  of,  a  coming  eternity.  The  one 
knows  what  self-denial  for  the  Lord's  sake  is, 
and  self-sacrifice  and  self-mortification.  Such 
phrases  as  these  (the  crucifying  of  the  fiesh, 
the  death  of  our  natures  to  sin)  are  not  at  all 
strange  or  unmeaning  terms  to  them,  while  the 
other  knows  nothing  about  them.  Now  whence 
comes  this  ?  Not  certainly  from  nature,  and  not 
from  birth  or  blood,  and  not  from  circumstances, 
as  our  own  experience  not  less  than  the  lively 
oracles  of  God  clearly  shows.  No,  but  from  the 
Lord.  Not  a  Christian  but  gives  all  the  glory  of 
his  second  birth,  and  better  nature,  and  conse- 
crated life,  to  the  Lord.  He  it  is  who  gives  to 
every  follower  of  His  the  inclination  and  the 
power  to  be  of  use  to  his  brethren ;  who  puts  it 
into  his  heart  to  deny  himself  and  to  sacrifice 
himself  for  his  brethren's  good ;  who  fills  a  man's 
soul  with  that  spirit  which  leads  him  to  spend 
and  be  spent  for  the  advancement  of  the  king- 


22 

dom  of  God.  Christ  gives  this  spirit  to  His  own 
redeemed  ones,  and  in  giving  it  He  makes  them 
partakers  of  His  own  glory. 

He  gave  it  to  the  holy  apostle  of  the  Gen- 
tiles—  Paul  —  when  truly  He  breathed  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  and  he  became  a 
living  soul.  Not  till  then  had  Paul  begun  to 
live.  The  very  highest  form  of  life  with  which 
he  had  up  to  that  time  been  allied  was  the  life  of 
a  religious  party  or  sect  —  or  perhaps  we  should 
call  it  a  national  life  —  of  a  politico-religious 
character.  Beyond  this  his  ambition  had  never 
risen,  and  even  then  self  was  confessedly  very 
largely  the  heart  and  soul  of  it.  But  from  the 
moment  of  his  second  birth  another  spirit  pos- 
sessed him,  the  narrow  bounds  of  time  as  the 
theater  of  human  action  and  endurance  faded 
away  in  the  brightness  of  a  near  and  ever  visible 
eternity.  And  then  also  when  the  command- 
ment came  Paul  died ;  but  out  of  that  death 
sprang  life  —  life  that  rejoiced  to  expend  itself  in 
great  labors  which  have  glorified  his  name  —  life 
that  rose  above  the  ease  and  the  comfort  of  the 
individual,  that  broke  away  from  the  fetters  of 
party  and  fashion,  and  spurned  the  still  stronger 
bands  of  national  exaltation  and  glory  —  that 
rose  into  regions  of  thought  and  of  action  akin 
to  those  of  Him  who,  though  in  the  form  of  God, 
rejoiced  in  the  title  of  the  "  Son  of  Man."     It  is 


23 

not  left  to  us  to  conjecture  whence  so  great  a 
change  originated,  or  how  it  came  to  be  wrought 
in  Paul.  He  himself  attributed  its  origin  and 
preservation  and  power  to  Christ — Christ  given 
for  kifn,  Christ  living  in  him.  The  same  spirit 
that  animated  Christ  working  also  according  to 
the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ  in  Paul.  To 
lift  up  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  as  the  friend  of  sin- 
ners, to  proclaim  the  great  salvation  procured  by 
His  death,  to  invite  the  weary  and  heavy-laden  to 
look  unto  Him  and  be  saved, — such  was  Paul's 
philanthropic  life.  Ye  know  to  what  perils  it 
exposed  him.  It  is  enough  to  mark  now  that  this 
high  and  distinguishing  glory  was  Christ's  gift  to 
Paul,  and  not  to  him  only,  but  to  those  other 
brethren,  the  early  evangelists,  who,  in  the  face 
of  opposition  and  at  the  sacrifice  of  every  out- 
ward comfort,  proclaimed  among  the  nations  the 
Gospel  of  Peace.  He  gave  it  also  to  that  grand 
host  of  confessors  and  martyrs  who  gladly  suf- 
fered the  loss  of  all  things,  and  counted  not  their 
lives  dear  unto  them,  that  they  might  testify  to 
God  among  their  fellow-men.  He  has  given  it 
to  a  long  list  of  faithful  servants,  whose  names 
adorn  the  history  of  the  church,  and  to  whom  the 
defense  and  the  progress  of  the  truth  from  age  to 
age  has  been  owing.  He  has  given  it  to  many 
whose  names  are  unrecorded,  but  who  in  their 
quiet  spheres  have  labored  and  endured  for  the 


24 

profit  of  those  around  them,  ^nd  for  the  honor 
of  their  Master  and  of  His  cause.  He  has  given 
it  to  many  a  pastor  on  whom  the  breath  of  popu- 
lar applause  has  never  rested  —  who  has  gone  in 
and  out  among  the  people  of  his  charge,  telling 
to  them  and  to  their  children  the  good  news  of 
God's  kingdom,  till,  his  work  at  length  ended,  he 
has  gone  down  to  his  rest,  and  now  sleeps  in 
peace  amid  the  people  over  whose  eternal  well- 
being  his  whole  heart  yearned.  He  has  given  it 
to  many  a  one  ministering  by  the  bed-side  of  the 
poor  and  needy,  and  to  many  a  ministering  phy- 
sician at  the  couch  of  the  dying;  aye,  and  He  has 
given  it  to  many  of  those  poor  and  suffering  ones 
who  have  benefited  mankind  by  the  patience  and 
meekness  and  holy  consistency  of  their  lives,  and 
by  the  depth  of  their  sympathy  and  prayers.  So 
have  I  seen  in  the  abodes  of  humble  life,  and  in 
the  chamber  of  intense  and  long-protracted  suf- 
fering, a  sunshine  and  sweet  peace  to  which  the 
dwellings  of  the  ungodly  have  been  strangers — a 
sunshine  which  has  made  its  power  felt  in  circles 
far  remote. 

This  is  of  the  Lord.  Christ  has  given,  as  it 
were,  a  portion  of  His  own  glory  to  those  in  every 
walk  of  life  to  whom  He  has  granted  His  own 
spirit  of  beneficence,  and  who  are  striving,  ac- 
cording to  their  opportunities,  to  perpetuate  and 
diffuse  its  blessings.     The  world  may  not  see  it ; 


25 

but  the  Lord  sees  it,  and  His  angels  also  are  wit- 
nesses of  it.  Those  even  to  whom  it  is  given 
may  not  always  see  it  in  themselves.  Indeed, 
they  who  are  most  largely  endowed  with  the  gift 
are,  in  general,  the  least  conscious  of  its  posses- 
sion. But  the  bliss  and  the  felicity  of  the  spirit 
of  Christ  they  are  enabled  to  feel  within  them,  for 
**  in  keeping  His  commandments  is  great  reward." 
Bear  in  mind  that  grand  and  glorious  utterance 
concerning  Christ:  •*  He  went  about  continually 
doing  good."  What  a  life  was  that !  Worthy  of 
all  praise,  and  surely  of  all  imitation.  And  such 
is  just  the  life  of  all  that  are  in  Christ.  They 
"walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit." 
Yes,  the  very  spirit  of  Christ,  for  "he  that  hath  not 
the  spirit  of  Christ  is  none  of  His."  And  "if  any 
man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature";  "old 
things  are  passed  away,  behold  all  things  are  be- 
come new."  The  foot-prints  of  the  ever-blessed 
Lord  form  the  path  of  all  in  whom  the  spirit 
dwells.  They  follow  Him,  neither  to  atone  for  sin 
nor  to  mediate  with  God  for  man.  He  has  fin- 
ished all  that,  but  they  follow  Him  in  His  blessed 
pathway  of  beneficence,  denying  themselves,  and 
even  gladly  submitting  to  scorn  and  reproach  and 
death  itself  when  called  thereto  by  God.  In  none 
of  His  incommunicable  attributes  and  excellencies 
can  they  ever  reach  unto  Him.  They  can  never 
be  omnipotent,  omniscient,  nor  omnipresent,  nor 
4 


26 

have  they  a  desire  to  be  so ;  but  In  blessing 
others,  as  it  was  His  delight  to  do  ;  in  doing 
good,  even  the  highest  good,  to  others,  as  it  was 
His  work  and  life  to  do ;  in  exposing  themselves  to 
hardship  and  suffering,  to  do  so  the  more  effect- 
ively, and  to  do  this,  in  His  spirit  and  for  His 
glory, — this  is  the  life-work,  not  only  of  His  min- 
isters, but  of  all  that  are  called  to  be  saints.  And 
truly  about  such  a  life,  how  lowly  soever  may  be 
its  sphere,  there  is  a  glory  that  pales  the  luster  of 
crowns  and  coronets.  To  be  blessed  of  the  Lord 
with  saving  grace  is,  indeed,  a  priceless  privilege ; 
and  only  second  to  that  is  the  blessing  of  being 
made  a  blessing.  They  that  are  rich  through 
God's  bounty  are  doubly  blessed  by  having  it  in 
their  hearts  to  make  others  happy  out  of  their 
abundance,  and  they  that  have  signal  talents  are 
doubly  rewarded  by  having  it  in  their  hearts  to 
devote  them  to  the  service  of  God  among  men. 
Though,  to  fulfill  this  glory,  it  does  not  require,  in 
every  case,  either  great  riches  or  great  talents ; 
yet  this  it  does  require  always  —  a  new  heart  and 
a  right  spirit.  This  it  is,  and  no  gift  of  earthly 
kind,  that  gives  to  every  action  and  utterance  of 
the  Christian  the  true  celestial  ring.  And  this  is 
Christ's  benison,  and  in  this  consists  the  believer's 
likeness  to  the  Lord.  And  thus  it  is  that  I  under- 
stand the  words  of  the  text,  *'The  glory  which 
thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them."    Think  of  it. 


27 

then,  beloved  !  No  disciple  is  exempted  from  this 
God-like  and  glorious  work.  God's  election  of 
them  in  Christ  is  to  the  end  that  they  may  bring 
forth  enduring  fruit,  and  much  of  it,  for  ''herein 
is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit." 

God's  gifts  to  men  are  manifold.  None  are 
without  some  one  gift  or  other,  in  greater  or  less 
degree,  which,  when  discovered  and  exercised,  is 
designed  to  benefit  others.  The  grace  of  God 
does  not  destroy  these  gifts,  but  rather  develops 
them  and  gives  them  direction  and  strength ;  and 
in  no  higher  or  more  glorious  work  can  any  of 
them  be  employed  than  in  that  of  ameliorating 
the  condition  of  men.  So  in  our  more  sober  and 
unselfish  moods  we  think  and  feel,  and  rightly, 
too  ;  for  so  to  do  is  Christ-like.  "  He  spared  not 
himself,  but  gave  himself  up  for  us  all."  How, 
then,  can  we  better  use  His  gifts  to  us  than  in 
maintaining  and  extending  His  blessed  cause  ? 
Oh,  that  it  were  written  over  every  dwelling, 
over  every  workshop,  over  every  church  — "  None 
of  us  liveth  to  himself"  None  that  enter  here 
live  for  themselves;  we  live  for  each  other;  we 
live  for  our  Lord  ;  we  live  to  perpetuate  the  name 
and  memory  and  example  of  Him  who  went  about, 
continually  doing  good.  We  are  true  socialists, 
without  being  communists ;  we  believe  in  the 
communion  of  saints,  because  we  rejoice  in  com- 
munion with  God.     Partakers  by  His  grace  of  that 


28 

glory  which  He  received  of  the  Father,  we  can- 
not, we  would  not,  but  walk  in  His  footsteps, 
counting  it  our  highest  honor  and  joy  to  do  good 
in  His  name,  and  to  communicate  of  His  gifts  en- 
trusted to  us.  Lord  Jesus,  help  us,  by  Thy  spirit, 
thus  to  live,  that  we  may  benefit  the  world  by  our 
presence  in  it,  that  we  may  bless  it  by  our  ex- 
ample, and  hasten  on  the  day  of  its  gladsome 
restoration,  when  its  kingdoms  shall  have  become 
the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  His  Christ,  to 
whom  be  glory,  for  ever  and  ever. 

Our  fathers  began  this  blessed  work  in  this 
city  a  hundred  years  ago,  when  New-York  was 
but  "a  little  one,"  and  their  own  resources  were 
limited  —  when  they  assembled  together  on  the 
Lord's  Day  in  private  houses,  and  in  prayer  and 
supplication  and  thanksgiving  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  the  goodly  edifice  in  which  we  are  to-day 
assembled.  From  Nassau  street  to  Grand  street, 
and  thence  across  Broadway,  still  in  Grand 
street,  and  thence  to  this  noble  thoroughfare 
and  to  our  present  location, — the  enlarging  de- 
mands of  business  and  an  increasing  population 
rendering  these  changes  desirable  and  neces- 
sary. Born  out  of  the  throes  of  Revolutionary 
times,  OUR  little  one  has  passed  through  re- 
peated strifes  of  war  and  fire  and  pestilence, 
— going  on  from  strength  to  strength  as  its 
years  were    multiplied,   giving    forth  with    ever- 


29 

increasing  energy  a  sweet  savor  of  Jesus 
Christ, —  holding  aloft  its  banner  of  truth, 
and  receiving  from  the  ever-open  hand  of  God 
the  supplies  that  have  preserved  it  from  pan- 
dering to  popular  sensationalism  on  the  one 
hand,  and,  on  the  other,  safe  from  the  demands 
of  money-lenders  —  the  rocks  on  which  so  many 
well-intentioned  efforts  have  suffered  shipwreck. 
From  the  beginning  of  my  ministry  to  this 
congregation  I  was  made  to  see  that  I  was 
surrounded  by  men  and  ministered  to  by  women 
who  feared  the  Lord  and  spake  often  one  to- 
ward another  of  the  great  things  and  rich 
provisions  of  His  kingdom,  and  who  lived 
under  the  shade  of  mutual  love, —  considerate 
one  of  another.  I  v/as  privileged  to  mark, — 
not  only  to  mark  the  ripening  graces  of  the 
aged,  but  also  the  rich  young  verdure  and  fruit- 
fulness  of  many  young  converts  to  Christ ;  and 
to  me  it  is  like  a  return  to  the  first  year  of 
my  youthful  ministry, — when  I  can  look  around 
me  and  see  my  children  grown  now  to  man 
and  womanhood,  walking  in  the  truth,  and  their 
children  and  grandchildren  following  in  their 
fathers'  foot-prints.  A  blessed  testimony  this 
to  the  faithfulness  and  truth  of  the  God  of 
the  covenant.  "  Instead  of  thy  fathers  shall 
be  thy  children,  whom  thou  shalt  make  princes 
in  all  the  earth." 


30 

My  heart  goes  back  with  gratitude  and  loving 
regard  to  the  past,  and  looks  forward  with  hope 
and  longing  desire  to  even  the  still  more  en- 
larged and  brighter  visions  of  devoted  lives, 
and  sanctified  endowments  that  loom  even  now 
out  of  the  mists  of  the  coming  years.  The 
buds  are  on  the  spray ;  the  blossoms  shall  ere 
long  open,  and  the  beautiful  coloring  of  God's 
gracious  hand  shall  show  itself  ere  long  on  the 
sheaves  that  angels'  hands  shall  gather  into 
His  garner   on    His   great   harvest-day. 

May  the  good  Lord  continue  to  bless  you, 
and  His  holy  word  continue  among  you,  and 
take  to  himself  all  the  glory.     Amen  and  amen. 


The  Church  at  the  Corner  of  Grand  and  Crosby  Streets. 


Historical  Sermon 

BY   THE 

REV.  JOSEPH  R.  Kerr,  d.  d,  pastor. 


Rememiier  tbt  liaj^  of  otti,  coniSilier  tbt  pearjS  of  ceneration 
anb  0cnetation.— deut.  xxxu.  ?. 


HESE  words  are  found  in  the  famous 
song  of  Moses,  a  song  which  sweeps 
I  through  his  Farewell  to  Israel  like  a 
grand  national  epic  strewn  with  such 
high  thoughts  and  sublime  conceptions  as  entitle 
it  to  be  ranked  amongst  the  noblest  specimens  of 
poetry  in  ancient  or  modern  literature. 

It  is  as  full  of  trust  for  the  future  as  of  grati- 
tude for  the  past,  but  the  impassioned  part  of  it 
seems  to  have  been  inspired  largely  by  the  days 
and  the  years  that  were  gone. 


32 

And  this  is  reasonable ;  for  who  can  view  to- 
morrow as  he  views  yesterday  ?  We  seekers  after 
revelation  may  be  looking  too  long  in  the  wrong 
direction  when  we  keep  our  eyes  only  in  front. 
The  vision  of  new  things  is  ever  hazy,  while  the 
vision  of  old  things  may  be  clear  and  cheering  as 
they  are  reviewed  in  the  light  of  retrospect  and 
amid  the  gracious  dealings  of  a  covenant  God. 

It  is  therefore  not  so  much  the  "hereafter"  as 
the  "hitherto"  which  prompts  our  psalm  to-day, 
and  moves  us  to  build  with  wayside  stones  the 
memorial  of  a  vanished  century. 

When  this  church-century  began,  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  was  closed.  The  independence  of  the 
colonies  was  a  recognized  fact,  but  there  remained 
yet  to  be  accomplished  the  organization  and  de- 
velopment of  the  Republic.  As  the  enthusiasm 
of  success  began  to  subside,  the  exhaustion  and 
sacrifice  of  the  struggle  became  known  and  felt, 
so  that  between  1 783  and  1 789  was  one  of  the 
most  trying  periods  of  our  early  national  history. 

The  city  of  New-York  was  then  in  its  infancy. 
It  had  experienced  the  hardships  of  the  war,  but, 
with  its  natural  buoyancy  and  great  commercial 
instinct,  was  already  stirring  with  thrift  and  grow- 
ing with  the  new  life. 

Churches  had  been  organized,  and  church-edi- 
fices erected  by  the  Reformed  Dutch,  the  Episco- 
palians, and  the  Presbyterians ;  while  a  Society 


33 

of  Friends  and  a  Jewish  congregation  were  also  in 
existence. 

The  Presbyterians  had  two  churches, — the 
First,  which  was  founded  in  i  716  ;  and  the  Scotch, 
which  was  formed  in  1756.  The  First  occupied 
two  places  of  worship,  one  on  Wall  street,  near 
Broadway,  where  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Rogers 
ministered,  and  the  other  at  the  corner  of  Beek- 
man  and  Nassau  streets,  with  the  Rev.  James 
Wilson  in  its  pulpit,  as  the  colleague  of  Dr. 
Rogers.  The  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church  was 
on  Cedar  street,  near  Broadway,  and  its  minister 
was  the  accomplished  and  beloved  Dr.  John 
Mason.  It  was  then  known  as  the  "  First 
Associate  Reformed  Church  in  New- York." 

The  **  Associate  Reformed  "  denomination  was 
the  result  of  a  union  of  two  bodies,  which  origi- 
nated in  secessions  from  the  Established  Church 
of  Scotland.  This  union  was  not  as  complete  as 
the  hearts  of  its  promoters  had  hoped.  Indeed,  it 
had  not  been  accepted  at  all  by  some  parties  who, 
after  making  a  formal  protest  and  entering  an 
appeal  to  the  Synod  in  Scotland,  refused  their 
fellowship,  declaring  that  they  considered  them- 
selves, on  good  grounds,  to  be  the  true  Associate 
Presbytery,  with  all  the  powers  thereof  inhering 
to  them. 

By  these  distractions  and  divisions,  the  cause 
of  the  Associate  Church  was  brought  very  low, 
5 


34 

and  an  account  of  the  situation,  with  a  petition 
for  help,  was  sent  over  to  the  mother  country. 
The  Synod  unanimously  approved  of  the  course 
taken  by  the  protestants,  and  resolved  to  send  the 
asked-for  help  without  delay. 

In  the  summer  of  1784,  Mr.  John  Foster,  a 
ruling  elder  in  the  Associate  Church  at  Salem, 
New- York,  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  William 
Marshall,  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  who  had  been 
foremost  in  refusing  to  abide  by  the  union  which 
had  taken  place. 

This  letter  speaks  of  the  circumstances  of  the 
friends  of  the  Secession  cause  in  New- York,  and 
asks  for  information  concerning  the  affairs  and 
prospects  of  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Marshall,  although  replying  with  an  evi- 
dent feeling  of  solicitude  and  a  sense  of  discour- 
agement, rejoices  at  the  same  time  in  the  fact 
that  there  were  those  in  America  who  were 
standing  firm  by  their  convictions  of  truth  and 
duty. 

Then,  as  a  bit  of  news,  he  says:  "Last  fall,  a 
probationer  arrived  from  Scotland  for  our  help, 
who  is  pious,  learned,  sensible,  but  of  a  weak 
voice;  this  spring,  the  Synod  has  sent  us  an 
actual  member,  possessed  of  every  gracious  and 
acquired  qualification  suited  to  this  country." 
That  licentiate  afterward  became  the  distinguished 
Dr.  Anderson,  and  the  other  was  a  young  minis- 


35 

ter  who  had  been  granted  ordination,  with  the 
special  view  of  his  crossing  the  Atlantic  to  help 
on  the  work  here ;  and  he  was  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Beveridge,  the  founder,  but  not  the  first  pastor, 
of  this  our  beloved  church. 

The  letter  of  Mr.  Marshall,  already  quoted 
from,  concludes  with  this  suggestion  :  "I  think 
the  friends  of  Christ  with  you  should  form  them- 
selves into  a  praying  society  ;  that  you  should  be 
much  employed  in  representing  the  cause  of  God 
at  His  throne ;  that  you  should  be  steady,  pointed, 
and  consistent  in  your  profession." 

The  date  of  this  was  July  15,  1784;  but  there 
is  a  paper  bearing  the  date  of  July  15,  1779, 
which  embodies  the  precise  idea  suggested  by 
Mr.  Marshall.  This  document  is  in  the  form  of  a 
covenant,  drawn  up  and  signed  by 

John  McFarland,        John  McAllister, 
George  Gosman,  Andrew  Wright,  and 

James  Craig,  Robert  Gosman. 

The  original  draft  is  still  preserved,  and  is,  in 
its  way,  a  curiosity  as  well  as  a  treasure.  It  is 
distinguished  by  strong  religious  fervor,  admira- 
ble discernment,  and  much  practical  wisdom. 

By  this  covenant  these  six  godly  men  formed 
themselves  into  a  praying  society,  which  con- 
vened at  stated  times  in  private  houses,  for  social 
worship,   growing  slowly  in    numbers   and   gra- 


36 

ciously  in  usefulness,  until  the  arrival  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Beveridge  in  the  spring  of  1 785.  He  had  been 
laboring  throughout  the  previous  winter  in  Penn- 
sylvania, also  in  various  parts  of  the  State  of  New- 
York,  and  finally,  being  sent  to  this  city,  he  found 
this  praying  society  ready  to  be  organized  into  a 
church ;  and,  the  way  being  clear,  he  proceeded, 
in  due  time,  to  constitute  the  "  First  Associate 
Presbyterian  Church  of  New-York  City,"  remain- 
ing with  it  as  stated  supply  for  four  or  five  years, 
doing  good  service,  and  greatly  beloved  by  all 
the  people. 

The  act  of  incorporation  does  not  appear 
until  the  year  1803,  when  Peter  Fenton,  Samuel 
Milligan,  William  Robertson,  George  Cleland, 
John  MacFarlane,  and  John  McKee  were  duly 
elected  trustees.  The  records  show,  however, 
that  in  1787  ground  was  purchased  on  Nassau 
street,  near  Maiden  Lane,  and  a  church  edifice 
was  erected  upon  it  for  the  uses  of  the  Society. 
This  was  while  Mr.  Beveridge  was  supplying 
the  pulpit.  The  lot  cost  two  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds,  and  the  building  three  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds,  all  of  which  was  in  a  short  time 
subscribed  and  paid.  The  property  was  held 
in  private  names,  there  being  as  yet  no  incor- 
poration. 

The  church  was  a  small  frame  structure,  se- 
verely plain  as  to  its  exterior,  having  a  window 


7>1 

on  each  side  of  the  front  door,  no  vestibule 
within,  and  but  two  ranges  of  cushionless  pews 
on  either  side  of  a  narrow  aisle  that  led  from  the 
door  to  the  pulpit.  The  floor  was  sanded,  and 
candles  in  tin  sockets  hung  around  the  walls 
whenever  an  evening  service  was  held. 

In  the  oldest  Record  Book  that  I  have  been 
able  to  reach  there  is  a  long  list  of  "  subscribers," 
but  to  what  or  for  what  purpose  is  not  stated.  It 
is  probable  that  some  of  the  money  went  to  the 
building  fund  of  this  first  church  on  Nassau 
street,  and  also  to  the  usual  church  expenses 
of  later  years.  Evidently  the  pew-rentals  would 
not  of  themselves  furnish  sufficient  income,  and 
hence  regular  subscriptions  were  added. 

In  the  August  of  1 789  Mr.  Beveridge  accepted 
a  call  from  Cambridge,  N.  Y.,  in  which  charge  he 
continued  until  his  death  in  1798.  He  was  a  man 
eminent  for  personal  piety,  and  he  was  "  much 
countenanced  in  his  ministry."  His  ashes  lie  in 
Barnet  church-yard,  and  his  biographer  writes, 
'*  Few  in  this  age  possess  an  equal  assemblage 
of  gifts  and  graces,  with  as  few  imperfections." 
After  Mr.  Beveridge's  retirement  from  this  pulpit, 
it  was  supplied  for  nearly  three  years  by  ministers 
either  sent  from  neighboring  congregations,  or 
who,  happening  to  be  in  town,  were  glad  to  serve 
it  on  the  Sabbath ;  and  it  was  not  until  October 
12,  1792,  that  the  first  pastor  was  ordained  and 


38 

installed  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  John  Cree. 
Mr.  Beveridge  presided  on  the  occasion  and 
preached  the  serrnon  from  2d  Timothy,  ii.  2, 
"The  same  commit  thou  to  faithful  men,  who 
shall  be  able  to  teach  others." 

The  afternoon  and  evening  of  this  day  were 
spent  by  the  members  of  the  Associate  Presby- 
tery, together  with  the  elders  and  other  members 
of  this  church,  in  solemn  humiliation  and  prayer, 
after  which  they  all  with  uplifted  hands  entered 
into  what  was  called  The  Solemn  Engagement  to 
Duties. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  we  have  neither  the 
names  nor  the  number  of  these  early  officers  and 
members,  and  that  we  are  without  any  particulars 
of  the  pastorate  thus  formed,  save  that  it  ex- 
tended over  only  two  years,  when  it  was  termi- 
nated by  the  removal  of  Mr.  Cree  to  Ligonier,  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  died. 

During  the  subsequent  eight  years  there  was 
no  pastoral  settlement.  It  was  at  a  period  in  the 
history  of  the  Associate  Church  in  America  when 
ministers  and  preachers  were  not  abundant,  and 
all  the  available  force  was  in  demand  for  apostolic 
work  in  planting  and  strengthening  congrega- 
tions over  the  country ;  —  here,  in  part  at  least, 
may  be  the  explanation  of  this  very  long  inter- 
val. In  it,  however,  the  people  enjoyed  the 
ministrations  of  some  superior  and   well-known 


39 

men.  Among  these  was  the  Rev.  WilHam  Mar- 
shall, the  writer  of  the  letter  from  which  quota- 
tion has  been  made,  and  the  leader  in  the 
opposition  to  the  union  between  the  Associate 
and  Reformed  Churches,  a  man  full  of  conscience 
and  zeal  for  the  truth  as  he  saw  it ;  also,  the 
Rev.  David  Goodwillie,  of  blessed  memory  and 
extensive  usefulness,  whose  earnest  piety,  sound 
judgment,  and  cheerful  disposition  made  him  a 
benediction  to  all  who  knew  him  and  who  sat 
under  his  preaching ;  also,  the  Rev.  Francis 
Pringle,  who  was  afterward  settled  for  thirty 
years  in  Carlisle,  Pa.  He  occupied  our  pulpit 
for  the  entire  winter  following  the  summer  of 
1799,  and  his  work  was  so  rich  and  strong  that 
many  in  the  congregation  began  to  think  of  him 
in  connection  with  the  pastorate. 

But  before  anything  was  done  in  this  direction, 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Hamilton  was  sent  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  to  minister  to  the 
church  for  a  few  Sabbaths.  He  was  a  native  of 
Washington  County,  Pa.,  where  his  father  was  a 
highly  respected  citizen  and  at  one  time  in  the 
shrievalty.  His  mother  was  a  devoted  Christian, 
and  her  touch  visibly  molded  the  youth's  future. 
He  graduated  at  Dickenson  College,  studied  the- 
ology under  the  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  and  was 
licensed  to  preach  about  the  year  1801.  When 
he  came  here  the  church  was  ripe  for  settlement, 


40 

and  the  impression  made  by  him  was  so  favorable 
that  in  a  short  time  he  received  a  call  to  be  its 
pastor,  which  he  accepted,  being  ordained  and 
installed  in  the  summer  of  1802. 

Thus  ended  that  long  interval  of  eight  years 
— years  of  fidelity  and  perseverance  on  the  part 
of  the  Lord's  people,  many  of  whom  cannot  be 
identified  at  this  late  day,  but  whose  names  are 
written  in  heaven. 

Under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Hamilton  the  little 
church  became  too  small,  therefore  a  larger  and 
more  pretentious  frame  structure  was  erected, 
partly  on  the  site  of  the  old  building  and  partly 
on  ground  adjoining,  which  was  leased  from  the 
Dutch  Church. 

While  the  new  edifice  was  going  up,  the  regu- 
lar services  were  held  in  a  neighboring  room, 
at  the  corner  of  William  and  Fulton  streets,  prob- 
ably occupying  the  site  of  what  is  now  so  widely 
known  as  the  Fulton  Street  Prayer  Meeting. 

Let  this  fact  go  indelibly  into  the  record,  for 
who  can  tell  how  much  this  old  covenant  and 
praying  society  of  ours  has  had  to  do  with  mak- 
ing that  locality  such  a  stair-way  of  holy  light 
and  peace  to  the  wandering  and  the  weary  ! 

With  pleasant  church  accommodations ;  with  a 
roll  increased  in  numbers  and  wealth ;  with  its 
pulpit  filled  by  a  cultivated,  spiritual,  and  zealous 
minister  ;  without  a  penny  of  indebtedness ;  with 


41 

generally  prevailing  harmony,  —  sixteen  happy 
years  came  and  went.  God  had  once  more 
proved  himself  the  hearer  and  the  answerer  of 
prayer. 

But  at  the  expiration  of  this  time  disease  at- 
tacked the  beloved  Hamilton,  and  in  the  month 
of  August,  1818,  he  resigned  his  church  and  his 
spirit  into  the  hands  of  God,  dying  just  in  his 
prime,  just  when  the  Lord's  pleasure  was  prosper- 
ing most  by  his  labors.  He  left  a  widow,  two 
sons,  and  a  daughter  to  mourn  his  departure,  in 
company  with  an  afflicted  congregation  and  a 
saddened  community. 

The  pulpit,  thus  made  vacant,  remained  so  for 
four  years,  when  it  was  filled  by  the  calling  of  the 
Rev.  Andrew  Stark,  D.  D.,  a  native  of  the  parish 
of  Slamanan,  in  the  county  of  Sterling,  Scotland, 
a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Glasgow,  and 
honored  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  by 
the  University  of  London.  He  was  a  man  well 
versed  in  the  Scriptures,  of  strong  convictions 
concerning  the  truths  of  revealed  religion,  and 
unusually  wise  in  winning  souls.  Exactness  and 
punctuality  were  among  his  leading  character- 
istics. His  coming  to  be  Mr.  Hamilton's  suc- 
cessor proved  highly  favorable  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  church,  healing  some  divisions  which  had 
sprung  up,  and  increasing  its  power  for  good  in 
many  directions. 
6 


42 

He  had  about  him,  in  the  ruling  eldership, 
such  men  as  the  Pattersons,  Wrights,  McFar- 
lane,  Fenton,  Geery,  Clendenning,  Edwards, 
Highet,  McNab,  Miller,  Irwin,  Boyd,  Chalmers, 
John  Duncan,  William  Whitewright,  and  Edward 
Mackenzie  ;  while  in  the  congregation  were  such 
rising  and  influential  men  as  John  Aitken,  David 
Morrison,  Joseph  and  James  Stuart,  and  others 
with  them  who  followed  his  leadership  into  much 
that  concerned  the  life  of  the  church.  Of  course, 
now  and  then  there  were  differences  in  views,  and 
in  some  cases  decided  independence  of  action,  but 
Dr.  Stark  was  always  able  to  guide  and  decide, 
so  that  the  integrity  of  his  work  kept  on,  un- 
broken and  blessed. 

In  May,  1822,  and  two  years  after  his  installa- 
tion, the  congregation  resolved  to  change  the 
location  of  the  church,  and  move  up-:town.  The 
property  on  Nassau  street  was  sold,  and  lots  were 
purchased  on  the  corner  of  Grand  and  Mercer 
streets,  where  a  good  brick  edifice  was  erected, 
which  was  first  occupied  in  August,  1824.  The 
cost,  including  the  site,  was  about  $14,000. 

This  pastorate  lasted  for  twenty-six  years, — 
the  longest  in  the  history  of  the  church, —  and 
represents  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  of 
precious  Christian  life  and  power. 

In  the  year  1 830,  a  colony  went  out  to  form  a 


43 

new  organization,  and,  under  the  care  of  the 
Rev.  James  Irving-  as  the  first  pastor,  estabHshed 
itself  in  a  new  building  at  the  corner  of  Thomp- 
son and  Prince  streets.  Mr.  Irving  died  after 
only  four  years  of  service,  and  was  succeeded 
in  the  pastorate  by  the  well-known  and  great- 
hearted Hugh  Henry  Blair.  But  the  new  venture 
was  embarrassed  with  debt,  the  house  of  wor- 
ship had  to  be  sold  under  foreclosure,  disagree- 
ments arose  among  the  membership,  until  at  last 
the  church  divided,  and  the  part  of  it  that  re- 
tained its  original  name,  "  The  Second  Associate 
Church,"  after  removing  several  times  to  other 
places  and  remaining  for  a  season  without  a 
pastor,  at  last  secured  the  Rev.  William  J. 
Cleland,  and  shortly  after  purchased  a  house  of 
worship  at  the  corner  of  Houston  and  Forsyth 
streets. 

The  other  portion  of  the  people  who  adhered 
to  Mr.  Blair  constituted  the  Third  or  "  Charles 
Street  Associate  Church,"  ultimately  building  the 
substantial  brick  structure  in  which  they  still 
worship,  and  where  the  Rev.  Dr.  Blair  labored 
and  prospered  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  The 
present  pastor  of  the  church  is  the  Rev.  James 
White,  D.  D.  It  appears  that  there  were  other 
offshoots  from  this  parent  stem,  but  of  a  less 
formal  and  distinct  character  than  the  ones  just 


44 

indicated ;  and  thus  the  strong  life  of  the 
Grand  Street  Church  was  throwing  into  the  com- 
munity from  time  to  time  healthful  influences  and 
consecrated  forces  for  the  advancement  of  the 
kingdom. 

At  last  Dr.  Stark's  health  began  to  break. 
Although  never  very  robust,  yet  he  stood  up 
long  and  well  under  the  heavy  strain  of  his 
official  duties,  but  finally  had  to  yield  to  medical 
advice  and  cease  temporarily  from  labor.  He 
sailed  for  Scotland  on  the  3d  of  July,  1849,  fully 
expecting  to  return  in  a  few  months  and  take  up 
again  his  parish  cares.  But  soon  after  arriving 
on  the  other  side,  his  symptoms  became  more 
unfavorable,  and  his  little  remaining  strength 
commenced  to  waste  away,  until  the  i8th  of  the 
following  September,  when  he  passed  into  his 
eternal  reward  at  Dennyloanhead,  Scotland,  at 
the  house  of  his  cousin,  the  Rev.  Andrew  Stark, 
who  was  also  a  Presbyterian  minister. 

The  tidings  of  his  demise  and  the  sense  of  its 
own  loss  plunged  the  church  into  profound  dis- 
tress. When  the  remains  arrived  in  this  city 
they  were  received  with  tears  and  every  mark 
of  affection  and  respect  by  a  people  who  had 
known  and  prized  the  man  and  the  minister  for 
over  twenty-five  years.  His  funeral  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Bullions,  D.  D.,  and 
his  grave  was  made   in    Greenwood   Cemetery, 


45 

where  surviving  friends  could  often  come  to  read 
the  writing  on  the  memorial  stone  and  sigh  for 

"  The  touch  of  a  vanished  hand, 
The  sound  of  a  voice  that  was  still." 

What  memories  are  stirred  by  such  names  as 
Marshall,  Goodwillie,  Pringle,  Stark,  and  Bul- 
lions—  memories  which  droop  like  ivies  across 
the  history  of  the  old  Associate  Church  !  Upon 
the  present  church  walls  are  perpetuated  the 
names  and  virtues  of  Hamilton  and  Stark,  and  so, 
they  being  dead,  still  speak  to  us  whenever  we 
are  in  the  house  of  God. 

After  the  death  of  Dr.  Stark,  the  pulpit  re- 
mained vacant  for  nearly  two  years,  when,  in 
1 85 1,  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  John 
Thomson,  D.  D.,  at  that  time  minister  of  St. 
David's  Church,  St.  John,  New  Brunswick. 

This  call  was  accepted,  and  on  the  9th  of  June, 
185 1,  another  pastoral  relationship  was  formed, 
which  included  all  but  a  score  of  years,  and  that 
lies  to-day  upon  our  affection  like  an  unclasped 
chain  of  gold. 

About  a  twelvemonth  from  the  new  pastor's 
installation,  it  was  decided  to  change  again  the 
site  of  the  church  building.  At  the  corner  of 
Grand  and  Crosby  streets  stood  a  large  white 
marble  church,  remarkable  for  its  beauty,  and 
considered  at  that  day  one  of  the  most  elegant 


46 

ecclesiastical  edifices  in  that  part  of  the  city.  It 
was  the  "  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church,"  and  its 
pastor  was  the  Rev.  Joseph  McElroy,  D.  D.,  the 
successor  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  M.  Mason  and  the 
Rev.  Robert  McLeod. 

This  society,  desiring  to  go  up  to  West  Four- 
teenth street,  offered  its  handsome  property  for 
sale,  and  our  people  buying  it  were  given  pos- 
session at  the  expiration  of  two  years  from  the 
date  of  purchase ;  and  with  this  possession  they 
also  received  some  valuable  accessions  from  the 
membership  of  the  other  church,  in  those  who 
were  disinclined  to  follow  it  to  the  new  location. 

But  before  this  removal  there  occurred  a  still 
more  important  change,  affecting  the  name,  the 
customs,  and  the  life  of  our  organization. 

A  restlessness  had  been  growing  on  the  part 
of  some,  which  at  last  found  controlling  expres- 
sion, in  the  demand  for  a  different  denominational 
fellowship ;  and  upon  formal  application  being 
made  to  the  Presbytery  of  New-York,  the  church 
and  its  pastor  were  admitted  into  the  communion 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  North  America,  on 
the  twentieth  day  of  June,  1853,  with  the  name 
of  "  The  Grand  Street  Presbyterian  Church  of 
New-York  City." 

Under  the  wise  and  able  management  of  the 
pastor,  the  comfort  and  growth  of  the  congrega- 
tion suffered  no  real  interruption  by  this  transfer; 


47 

and  when  the  marble  edifice  was  entered,  it  was 
but  to  advance  along  the  line  of  a  gracious  and 
lasting  success.  Dr.  Thomson  remained  in  charge 
until  1 86 1,  when  he  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to  accept 
a  call  which  had  been  extended  to  him  from 
the  Knox  Church,  Gait,  Ontario.  The  decision 
caused  profound  regret  among  his  people  and 
his  friends  in  New-York,  who  found  themselves 
unable  to  alter  it.  After  his  withdrawal,  the 
pulpit  was  tendered  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  R.  Wil- 
son, D.  D.,  now  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  who 
came  to  it  just  before  the  opening  of  our  Civil 
War.  Those  days  were  full  of  trembling  anxie- 
ties, and  as  the  conflict  burst  and  raged,  both 
Church  and  State  were  searched  as  by  fire. 

It  was  a  most  unfavorable  time  in  which  to 
begin  a  new  pastorate,  but  Dr.  Wilson  took  hold 
with  energy,  and  endeavored  to  carry  on  the 
Lord's  work  as  it  had  fallen  to  him.  With  a 
vigorous  mind  and  much  power  as  a  public 
speaker,  he  soon  made  himself  felt,  but  the  great 
political  excitements,  and  the  distractions  in  com- 
mercial and  social  life,  were  so  disturbing  and 
confusing  that  he  seems  to  have  become  dis- 
couraged, and  we  find  him  tendering  his  resig- 
nation and  retiring  from  the  pulpit  in  February, 
1863. 

But  it  must  be  said,  and  here  is  the  place  to  say 
it,  that  the  loyalty  and  patriotism  of  this  church 


48 

throughout  that  long  national  crisis  were  of  the 
stanchest  and  noblest  character.  It  was  no 
neutral  camp ;  its  sympathy  with  the  rightful 
government  was  anything  but  lukewarm.  It  had 
no  patience  with  secession  ;  its  prayers,  its  money, 
and  its  blood  were  ever  ready  for  the  defense  and 
preservation  of  the  Union. 

That  struggle  is  now  far  past,  and  it  is  delight- 
ful to  observe  how  the  scars  are  growing  out  like 
the  letters  in  the  bark  as  the  tree  thickens  and 
spreads  ;  but  we  cannot  forget,  and  we  ought  not 
to  forget  in  this  era  of  forgiveness  and  restored 
confidence,  who  stood  fast  and  strong  by  the 
national  standard  in  the  hour  of  its  greatest  peril. 

It  was  not  long  after  Dr.  Wilson's  withdrawal 
that  the  thoughts  and  affections  of  the  people 
turned  once  more  toward  their  former  pastor,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Thomson,  who  was  rendering  good 
service  in  Gait,  Ontario. 

The  appeal  for  his  return  was  so  hearty  and 
unanimous  that  he  could  not  put  it  aside,  and  he 
was  soon  installed  a  second  time  over  a  church 
of  which  he  had  every  reason  to  be  proud,  and 
that  rallied  again  about  him  with  the  old  enthu- 
siasm and  success. 

Four  years  after  this  reunion  another  change 
of  location  was  agreed  upon.  The  city  was 
rapidly  pushing  northwards,  the  pressure  of  busi- 
ness was  converting  residences  into  offices  and 


49 

stores,  and  business  men  were  locating  their 
homes  in  the  upper  wards.  It  was  therefore 
thought  best  to  exchange  Grand  street  for  West 
Thirty-fourth  street,  although  the  latter  was 
considered  to  be  then  in  the  outskirts  of  the 
town. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  present  edifice  was  laid 
July  7th,  1866,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  assem- 
bly, composed  of  the  church  officers,  members  oi 
the  congregation  and  their  friends,  together  with 
the  teachers  and  children  of  the  Sabbath-school. 
The  ceremonies  were  conducted  by  the  pastor, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  Revs.  Drs.  Scott  and 
Krebs,  and  the  Revs.  Messrs.  Adams  and  Mingens. 

The  Lecture  Room  was  ready  for  occupation 
on  the  6th  of  May,  1867,  and  the  entire  church 
was  finished  and  dedicated,  free  of  debt,  in  Octo- 
ber of  the  same  year.  The  pastor  was  assisted  in 
the  dedication  services  by  the  Revs.  W.  T.  Mor- 
rison and  D.  M.  Quackenbush,  and  by  Revs.  Drs. 
Gardiner  Spring  and  John  Rogers.  The  cost 
of  the  building  and  the  land  was  upward  of 
$140,000. 

The  removal  from  Grand  street  necessitated 
another  name  for  the  church,  and,  with  the  per- 
mission of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  it 
assumed  the  historic  title  to  which  by  birth  in 
the  Presbyterian  family  of  this  city  it  was 
entitled. 
7 


50 

The  First  Church  being  organized  in  1716,  the 
Scotch  Church  in  1756,  and  the  Brick  Church  hav- 
ing been  part  of  the  First  Church  up  to  1809,  ^^^ 
so  properly  ranking  third,  we  came  next  in  order, 
and  from  that  day  onward  have  been  known  as 
the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  City  of 
New-York. 

The  next  important  step  was  the  planting  and 
developing  of  the  West  Side  Mission. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1869,  an  Asso- 
ciation was  formed  in  the  congregation  for  the 
originating  of  spheres  of  Christian  usefulness,  in 
which  the  working  power  of  the  church  might 
be  actively  engaged.  This  society  is  still  in 
vigorous  existence,  and  is  known  as  "  The  Social 
and  Benevolent  Association."  Its  first  President 
was  Mr.  James  Robertson,  now  a  leading  ofBcer 
in  the  Regent  Square  Presbyterian  Church  of 
London,  England,  the  Rev.  J.  Oswald  Dykes, 
D.  D.,  pastor.  Through  a  special  committee, 
West  33d  street,  between  the  Ninth  and  Tenth 
Avenues,  was  selected  as  a  convenient  and  needy 
center  for  mission  work,  and  a  small  hall  over  a 
stable  was  rented  at  the  rate  of  $400  a  year,  in 
which  a  Sabbath-school  was  begun,  and  occa- 
sional preaching  provided.  Mr.  Robertson  was 
the  first  Superintendent  of  this  school,  and  it 
must  ever  be  greatly  indebted  for  his  zeal  and 
generosity  in  its  behalf.     In  April  of  1870,  Mr. 


51 

Henry  C.  Cronin  was  appointed  the  first  mis- 
sionary in  charge,  at  a  salary  of  $750  per 
annum,  which  was  afterward  increased  to  $1200 
per  annum. 

Three  years  of  self-denying  effort  and  genuine 
progress  were  spent  in  this  old  hall,  the  neighbor- 
hood changing  perceptibly  for  the  better,  and  the 
accommodations  becoming  at  last  too  small  and 
inconvenient. 

The  building  of  a  chapel  was  then  undertaken, 
a  valuable  lot  having  been  secured  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  street. 

On  Sabbath  evening,  December  14,  1873,  ^^^ 
new  and  handsome  rooms  were  dedicated  to  the 
worship  and  service  of  God ;  the  whole  property 
having  cost  the  church  fully  $20,000,  all  of  which 
was  paid.  The  enterprise  from  its  inception 
has  never  had  a  debt  to  embarrass  it.  Its 
friends  have  been  good,  and  the  work  done  has 
been  attended  by  the  rich  blessing  of  the  Master. 

Among  those  who  were  especially  interested  in 
it,  and  who  were  prompt  to  show  it  at  every 
opportunity,  was  that  devoted  Christian  man  and 
elder,  the  late  Mr.  John  Aitken.  Remembering 
it  in  his  will  with  a  bequest  of  $5000,  the  Asso- 
ciation has  inscribed  his  name  in  memorial  brass 
upon  one  of  the  chapel  walls. 

Mr.  Cronin  retired  from  his  position  as  mission- 
ary  in    1877,    and   was   succeeded   by  the    Rev. 


52 

Edward  Pratt,  who  remained  in  charge  until  1881, 
when  he  resigned  in  order  to  settle  in  the  West. 
Mr.  Pratt  was  followed  by  the  Rev.  Alfred  Blew- 
ett,  who  labored  until  1883,  when  he  went  to  a 
neighboring  charge,  and  the  Rev.  W.  J.  McDow- 
ell, the  present  incumbent,  was  invited  to  take  the 
vacant  place,  which  he  is  filling  with  fidelity  and 
success. 

Once  and  again  Bible-readers  have  been  em- 
ployed to  cooperate  with  the  missionary  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  field.  The  last  one  was  person- 
ally employed  by  Mrs.  John  Aitken,  who  thus 
perpetuates  and  extends  with  her  own  interest 
the  cause  so  dear  to  her  lamented  husband. 

The  Mission  Sabbath-school  has  always  been 
a  marked  feature  of  this  work,  and  there  have 
been  but  two  Superintendents  besides  Mr.  James 
Robertson, — Dr.  D.  H.  Goodwillie,  who  gave 
much  of  his  valuable  professional  time  to  promote 
its  interests,  and  Mr.  James  Kydd,  who  is  now  in 
charge,  and  whose  services  are  becoming  more 
indispensable  with  each  succeeding  year. 

The  first  Secretary  of  the  school  was  Mr.  John 
W.  Aitken ;  the  second  and  only  other,  Mr.  John 
H.  Allen,  who  still  serves  in  this  capacity  with 
unwearied  zeal  and  great  efficiency. 

No  better  corps  of  teachers  has  been  found 
anywhere,  and  there  are  no  better  behaved  or 
more    studious    pupils    than     those    who     have 


53 

been  and  are  still  identified  with  our  West 
Side  Chapel. 

In  May,  1873,  a  Juvenile  Missionary  Society 
was  formed  in  the  school,  and  it  is  still  in  exist- 
ence. The  money  collected  has  been  devoted  to 
missionary  work  mostly  outside  of  the  local  field. 
Up  to  the  last  Report  the  gifts  of  the  children  in 
this  way  have  amounted  to  $1614. 11  ;  and  only 
those  who  have  been  in  the  homes  of  some  of 
these  children  can  appreciate  how  much  of  self- 
denial  this  means,  and  how  loudly  it  speaks  for 
the  desire  of  the  little  ones  to  do  good  unto  others. 
In  addition  to  this  they  have  sewing-classes,  and 
literary  and  musical  entertainments  carried  through 
by  themselves  under  proper  direction. 

This  enterprise  may  well  distinguish  the  sec- 
ond part  of  Dr.  Thomson's  pastorate.  He  it  was 
who  called  the  meeting  for  the  formation  of  the 
Association,  and  by  his  sympathy  and  encourage- 
ment, with  the  aid  of  such  men  as  Joseph  and 
James  Stuart,  John  Aitken,  James  and  David 
Morrison,  and  others,  carried  it  prosperously  into 
the  permanent  building  and  toward  an  assured 
future. 

His  and  their  policy  was  evidently  an  aggres- 
sive one ;  the  fine  position  on  Thirty-fourth  street 
was  not  to  be  a  place  of  selfish  ease  or  narrow 
ideas.  The  congregation  had  come  up-town  to 
spend  and  be  spent  for  Christ. 


54 

In  the  ruling  eldership  of  this  second  term  the 
pastor  had  with  him  James  Stuart,  John  Aitken, 
John  Kirkpatrick,  William  Dalrymple,  Alexander 
Edwards,  James  Allen,  John  Morrison,  Dr.  Ed- 
ward F.  Parsons,  Samuel  Kydd,  James  Morrison, 
James  Robertson,  Frederick  Blume,  John  Strachan, 
Joseph  A.  Macdonald,  Archibald  McLintock,  James 
Kydd,  and  John  Iverach,  elected  and  ordained  in 
groups  at  different  dates.  And  along  with  these 
was  a  company  of  men  and  women  who  were 
truly  fellow-helpers  in  every  good  word  and 
work. 

Will  it  be  deemed  invidious  if  Joseph  Stuart  is 
named  again,  and  Robert  Marshall  and  David 
Morrison  and  William  Eagle  ? 

The  last  three  are  still  alive,  and  Mr.  Morrison, 
although  advanced  in  age,  holds  the  presidency 
of  our  Board  of  Trustees  with  the  grace  and  use- 
fulness of  a  much  younger  man. 

And  then  there  are  other  names  which  link 
both  the  ministries  of  Dr.  Stark  and  Dr.  Thom- 
son in  one  long  term  of  membership  and  fellow- 
ship :  Charters,  Warnock,  Bryson,  McCrea,  Scott, 
Hutton,  Elder,  Legget,  McClellan,  Chalmers, 
Cameron,  McGay,  Little,  Harrison,  Dinwiddie ; 
and  there  are  others  yet  which  represent  warm 
friendship  and  personal  comfort  to  Dr.  Thomson 
in  the  closing  years  of  his  service :  Taylor,  Craig, 
Nicholson,   Robert  Allan,  A.  M.  Stewart,  Turn- 


55 

bull,  Mclntire,  Anderson  —  and  the  list  is  not  yet 
exhausted  ! 

When,  in  1875,  by  reason  of  personal  and  fam- 
ily ill  health.  Dr.  Thomson  felt  compelled  to  ask 
once  again  for  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  rela- 
tion, his  request  was  only  acceded  to  because  it 
seemed  imperative  that  he  should  have  an  entire 
and  protracted  rest  from  all  official  care. 

He  left  the  church  strong  and  united,  free  from 
debt,  and  well  furnished  to  fill  a  yet  larger  place 
in  the  metropolis  of  the  nation. 

One  of  the  benedictions  of  this  centennial  sea- 
son is  in  having  him  and  his  daughter  present 
with  us  all  the  way  from  the  manse  beyond  the 
sea.  And  it  is  a  privilege  to  say  to  him  that  in 
the  time  to  come,  as  in  the  time  that  is  past,  the 
prayers  and  affection  of  this  church  for  him  and 
his  will  be  as  the  night  stars  which  shine  upon 
the  Grampians,  and  as  the  heather  when  it  blos- 
soms beside  his  door. 

The  pulpit,  being  once  more  vacant,  was  ten- 
dered to  the  present  pastor,  then  of  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  and  in  charge  of  the  North  United  Presby- 
terian Church  of  that  city.  It  becomes  him  only 
to  say  that  ten  years  have  come  and  gone  since 
that  November  invitation  was  accepted.  Coming 
together  as  total  strangers,  believing  that  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church  called  us  in  His 
providence,   it  was  very  much   like    an    oriental 


56 

wedding,  where  the  contracting  parties  never  see 
each  other  until  the  nuptial  day.  We  have  wept 
and  rejoiced  together ;  we  have  worked  and 
rested  together  ;  we  have  lost  and  won  together ; 
and  it  is  but  right  that  we  should  together  attest 
the  fact  that  the  Lord  God  has  been  with  us  as  He 
was  with  our  fathers,  and  that  He  keeps  His  cove- 
nant unto  all  generations. 

And  now  permit  me  to  rapidly  sketch  some  of 
our  more  prominent  organizations  and  societies, 
in  addition  to  the  one  already  noticed  in  connec- 
tion with  the  chapel. 

At  a  meeting  held  in  the  church,  June  28,  1827, 
Alexander  Christie,  John  Edwards,  and  others 
agreed  to  form  themselves  into  a  society,  and  to 
invite  the  cooperation  of  their  brethren,  for  the 
purpose  of  organizing  a  Sabbath-school  in  con- 
nection with  the  congregation. 

A  committee  was  appointed,  with  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Stark  as  chairman,  to  prepare  a  constitution  for 
the  regulation  of  the  school,  and  the  constitution 
presented  and  adopted  at  that  time  remains  the 
law  of  our  present  Morning  Sabbath-school  Asso- 
ciation. 

Messrs.  Middlemas,  Highet,  Paterson,  and 
Smith  interested  themselves  deeply  in  this  effort 
in  behalf  of  the  young. 

Religious  instruction  had  previously  been  given 
to  the  youth   of  the   church   on   week  days,    by 


57 

means  of  catechism  classes  held  in  the  houses, 
and  conducted  partly  by  godly  women,  who  thus 
aided  the  parents  in  caring  for  the  spiritual  welfare 
of  their  children ;  but  now  it  was  proposed  to 
open  a  school  on  the  Lord's  Day  in  the  church  for 
regular  Bible  and  catechetical  study.  The  first 
officers  and  teachers  were :  Mr.  John  Highet, 
superintendent;  Miss  Catherine  Wood,  assistant 
superintendent ;  John  Patterson,  secretary.  Male 
teachers  :  Messrs.  Christie,  John  Edwards,  Will- 
iam and  John  Smith,  James  McNab,  and  Thomas 
Dennistown ;  female  teachers :  Misses  Eliza  and 
Mary  Smith,  Ferguson,  McCready,  Welsh,  Stod- 
dart,  and  McClure. 

It  was  early  resolved  that  the  lessons  should  be 
uniform,  and,  from  the  very  first,  meetings  of  the 
teachers  were  held  for  prayer  and  preparation  for 
the  work  of  teaching.  In  addition  to  these,  there 
were  meetings  of  a  more  general  character,  at 
which  papers  upon  Sabbath-school  interests  and 
claims  were  read  and  discussed. 

The  visitation  of  the  scholars  at  their  resi- 
dences was  not  neglected,  special  committees  being 
appointed  for  this  purpose.  Nor  was  the  pleasure 
of  the  children  overlooked  ;  and  the  first  entertain- 
ment offered  to  them  seems  to  have  been  a  visit  to 
the  Mechanics'  Institute  at  Castle  Garden  in  1836. 

In  1828,  a  Sabbath-school  Library  was  opened, 
and    formed    an    important    help    in    imparting 


58 

religious  instruction.  Only  the  best  literature  was 
admitted  to  its  shelves,  and  the  use  of  it  was 
freely  allowed  to  the  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion as  well  as  to  the  pupils, —  a  privilege  contin- 
ued unto  this  day. 

In  1844,  a  Sabbath-school  Missionary  Society 
was  organized,  and  a  missionary  spirit  has  been 
a  feature  in  the  work,  as  carried  on  by  different 
hands.  Especial  interest  has  been  manifested  for 
helping  to  establish  schools  in  the  southern  and 
western  sections  of  our  land,  while  the  cause  of 
Foreign  Missions  has  become  a  part  of  the  yearly 
thought  and  provision,  especially  since  the  Rev. 
William  T.  Morrison,  son  of  Elder  John  Morrison, 
prepared  himself  here  for  work  among  the  Chi- 
nese, and  subsequently  educated  a  class  of  Chinese 
boys,  who  were  supported  during  their  course  by 
this  school  and  members  of  this  church. 

Of  these  youth,  two  were  converted,  and  one, 
entering  the  ministry,  has  for  a  long  time  been  an 
earnest  preacher  of  the  gospel  among  his  own 
countrymen.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Ning  Po,  is  pastor  of  two  native  churches,  and  has 
interested  the  school  in  a  Presbyterial  Academy  at 
Ning  Po,  at  which  two  of  his  own  sons  have  gradu- 
ated, and  where  some  of  the  students  are  profess- 
ing and  praying  members  of  the  Christian  church. 

Then  something  was  done  in  the  way  of  aiding 
to  establish  the  first  Sabbath-school  in  the  city  of 


59 

Rome,  and  contributions  have  gone  from  time 
to  time  into  the  treasuries  of  the  Waldensian 
churches  as  their  needs  were  presented. 

This  old  and  honored  school  has  had  fourteen 
superintendents  —  John  Highet,  John  Miller, 
David  Irwin,  William  Boyd,  Humphreys  Miller, 
Robert  McClellan,  Alexander  Edwards,  Sylvester 
PatuUo,  John  Aitken,  Dr.  Edward  F.  Parsons,  D. 
C.  Tiebout,  James  Kydd,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Thomson; 
and  Frederick  Blume,  who  has  been  faithfully 
and  ably  discharging  the  duties  of  his  office  for 
the  past  thirteen  years. 

The  longest  term  is  that  of  Mr.  John  Aitken, 
who  aggregated  twenty-two  and  a  half  years.  He 
was  exceedingly  fond  of  the  young,  and  that  fond- 
ness was  most  heartily  reciprocated.  So  he  was 
kept  in  leadership  for  all  that  long  period  ;  and 
more  than  once  when  he  actually  retired,  it  was 
only  to  be  reinstated  by  the  appreciation  of  his 
fellow-workers  and  the  earnest  wishes  of  the 
children  themselves. 

On  this  noble  roll  blazes  the  name  of  Sylvester 
Patullo,  who  was  Superintendent  for  only  eighteen 
months,  and  who  died  in  England,  June  7,  1856. 
He  was  a  man  of  special  gifts  and  with  such  a 
rapture  in  his  faith  that  he  was  literally  a  burning 
and  shining  light  amongst  old  and  young. 

A  third  school  in  connection  with  the  church 
was  organized  on  the  17th  of  April,  1876,  and  its 


6o 

sessions  appointed  for  the  afternoon  of  every 
Lord's  Day. 

This  appeared  to  be  needed  because  many  of 
the  youth  who  attended  the  morning  school  were 
going  elsewhere  in  the  afternoons  for  their  in- 
structions and  fellowships.  While  the  chapel  was 
open  at  that  part  of  the  day,  and  its  teachers 
ready  to  welcome  all  who  might  attend,  yet  it 
was  a  fact  that  quite  a  number  of  our  children 
did  not  go  there  ;  and  so  this  new  provision  was 
made  for  them  at  home. 

The  result  has  more  than  justified  the  experi- 
ment, and  from  the  opening  day  until  now  this 
school  has  flourished.  It  is  not  a  duplicate  of  the 
older  ones ;  it  has  its  own  officers  and  teachers, 
its  own  tastes,  its  own  methods,  and  its  own  life. 
This,  of  itself,  creates  for  it  a  special  place  with- 
out interfering  with  the  fields  of  the  other  two. 

The  first  Superintendent  was  Andrew  Little,  so 
long  and  prominently  identified  with  our  church. 
He  gave  the  best  attention  to  his  office  until 
warned  by  failing  strength  that  he  must  stop. 
The  next  was  Joseph  G.  Harrison,  whose  gen- 
erous life  has  been  in  and  of  us  all,  and  whose 
terms  of  service  were  valuable  and  honorable  to 
the  end. 

Elder  John  Macdonald  came  next,  conscientious 
in  the  routine  duties  of  his  position  ;  he  also  greatly 
stimulated  the  missionary  spirit  in  the  school. 


6i 

Thomas  M.  Stewart  is  the  present  Superin- 
tendent, a  former  Vice-President  of  the  Brooklyn 
Sabbath- school  Association,  and  trained  in  his 
knowledge  of  the  interests  and  wants  of  the 
young. 

Associated  with  him,  as  Vice-Superintendent,  is 
James  R.  Cuming,  a  man  in  whom  the  heart 
of  his  pastor  trusts,  and  whose  care  of  the  Young 
Men's  Bible  Class  is  as  tender  as  it  is  gracious. 

The  teaching  staff  is  earnest  and  devoted,  and 
while  lately  afflicted  in  the  death  of  one  of  its 
brightest  ornaments,  it  has  been  cheered  by 
seeing  the  vacant  chair  filled  by  one  who  was  as 
dear  to  the  dead  as  she  is  an  inspiration  to  the 
living. 

The  number  of  children  and  young  people  in 
attendance  upon  these  schools,  as  reported  to  the 
last  Assembly,  is  between  four  and  five  hundred, 
and  usually  there  are  more  classes  than  teachers. 

It  must  surely  be  that  great  and  constant 
blessings  shall  come  forth  upon  that  church  which 
looks  properly  after  the  rising  generation.  And 
we  have  learned  since  those  early  catechetical 
meetings  and  the  founding  of  our  first  church- 
school  that  heaven's  sweetest  dew-fall  is  upon  the 
faces  of  those  who  watch  for  the  morning ! 

The  Rev.  David  McC.  Quackenbush,  of  the 
Reformed  (Dutch)  Church,  Yorkville,  and  the 
Rev.  John  Reid,  the  successful  pastor  of  the  First 


62 

Presbyterian  Church,  Yonkers,  had  their  early 
reHsfious  training:  in  our  communion.  There  are 
others,  baptized  at  this  font,  who  have  become 
prominent  in  merchantry  and  trade,  who  have 
reached  high  positions  in  their  chosen  profes- 
sions, whose  success  in  life  reflects  in  luster  the 
o-odly  training  and  religious  knowledge  furnished 
within  these  walls. 

And  it  is  a  pleasant  fact  in  connection  with 
members  of  the  old  families  still  surviving,  and 
also  with  many  of  their  children  and  children's 
children,  that  this  church  holds  the  deepest  place 
in  their  hearts  as  a  spiritual  home.  The  local 
attachment  is  as  remarkable  as  it  is  beautiful, 
and  I  think  it  argues  for  the  long,  faithful  care 
of  the  church  for  its  households  "in  generation 
and  generation." 

The  oldest  society  in  connection  with  us  is 
known  as  "  The  Benevolent  Society."  It  was 
organized  in  1795  for  the  purpose  of  relieving 
the  poor,  assisting  the  needy  and  distressed  in 
the  congregation. 

The  old  Minute  Book  furnishes  some  curious 
reading,  and  amid  all  the  quaintness  there  is  the 
glow  of  a  fervent  charity.  In  the  opening  pages 
there  is  notice  of  a  grant  of  ten  pounds  toward 
the  support  of  two  ministers  lately  come  from 
Scotland  and  on  their  way  to  Nova  Scotia.  And 
there    were    other    ministers   with    their   families 


^3 

assisted  out  of  this  treasury, — for  the  country 
was  new  and  the  times  were  not  always  pros- 
perous. Case  after  case  of  need  is  briefly  noted 
and  marked  as  reheved,  while  at  nearly  every 
meeting  of  the  Society  the  dues  of  members 
were  received  and  acknowledged. 

The  first  president  was  Samuel  Milligan,  the 
first  treasurer  was  John  Scotland,  and  the  secre- 
tary was  George  Thomson.  The  initiation  fees 
collected  at  the  first  meeting  amounted  to  ^22 
i2s.  6d. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  all  the  money 
which  has  gone  through  this  channel  during  the 
past  ninety  years ;  but  the  stream  was  steady 
and  strong,  for  it  came  of  a  spirit  that  grew  not 
weary  in  well-doing.  The  Society  is  still  in 
active  existence,  and  has  a  full  treasury. 

Next  in  age  comes  "  The  Ladies'  City  Mission 
Society,"  which  was  organized  in  1824  as  an  aux- 
iliary to  the  American  Tract  Society,  with  Miss 
Warnock  and  Miss  Wright  as  managers. 

The  work  was  shortly  after  changed  to  provid- 
ing clothing  for  poor  students  who  were  prepar- 
ing for  the  ministry  under  the  instruction  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Banks,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  In 
1852  the  Society  began  to  contribute  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  gospel  in  various  places  by  aiding 
feeble  churches  and  by  donations  to  the  mission- 
ary fund  of  the  Synod.     It  also  agreed  to  pay  a 


64 

certain  amount  to  the  "  New- York  City  Tract 
Society "  for  the  support  of  a  missionary  in 
the  Fourteenth  Ward.  This  last  arrangement 
continued  until  1870,  since  which  time  the  So- 
ciety has  given  annually  out  of  its  funds  $500 
toward  the  support  of  our  West  Side  Chapel. 

In  1866  its  name  was  changed  to  that  of  "  The 
Ladies'  City  Mission  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian 
Church."  This  identified  it  fully  with  the  church, 
and  its  auxiliary  character  ceased. 

It  has  been  greatly  indebted  to  the  kindness 
and  liberality  of  Mr.  David  Irwin,  who  at  differ- 
ent times  donated  sums  of  money,  amounting  in 
all  to  $5000,  the  interest  of  which  is  applied  to 
the  aid  and  furtherance  of  the  Society's  work. 
It  has  also  been  remembered  with  legacies  by 
other  friends  who  knew  of  its  aims  and  rejoiced 
in  its  endeavors.  Its  great  object  from  the  begin- 
ning until  now  has  been  the  advancement  of 
Christ's  cause  among  the  careless  and  churchless 
multitude,  and  it  has  reason  to  hope  that  during 
the  sixty  years  of  its  existence  as  a  society  the 
favor  of  Heaven  has  rested  upon  its  efforts  to  the 
winning  of  many  souls. 

The  next  society  to  be  formed  was  "  The  Bible 
Society,"  which  was  organized  June  14,  1843,  for 
the  distribution  of  God's  word,  particularly  in 
this  city.  It  is  an  auxiliary  to  the  New- York 
Bible  Society,  and   at   its  annual  meetings   has 


65 

reports  and  addresses  showing  the  progress  and 
needs  of  the  work  in  a  great  seething  commu- 
nity like  our  own. 

The  first  officers  were,  the  Rev.  Andrew  Stark, 
D.  D.,  President;  WilHam  Boyd,  Vice-President; 
J.  F.  Clarkson,  Secretary,  and  David  Morrison, 
Treasurer.  The  money  collected  and  paid  over 
by  this  society  since  its  formation  aggregates 
$6130.04,  and  there  is  a  small  balance  to-day  in 
the  treasury. 

"The  Ladies'  Sewing  Society"  was  formed 
in  i860,  having  for  its  object  the  providing 
of  suitable  clothing  for  the  poor  of  the  church 
and  the  chapel,  and  also  the  assistance  of  needy 
missionaries  and  their  families  in  this  and  other 
lands.  Although  death  and  removal  have  made 
many  changes  in  this  circle,  there  are  a  few  of 
the  original  members  still  present  to  unite  with 
others  in  keeping  up  the  weekly  meetings,  which 
are  held  throughout  the  winter  season.  Parcels 
and  boxes  are  constantly  being  made  up  and 
sent  out  by  these  faithful  women,  and  their 
generous  diligence  is  not  without  its  rewards. 

"The  Social  and  Benevolent  Association"  has 
already  been  referred  to  in  connection  with  the 
inauguration  and  development  of  the  chapel 
enterprise. 

It  is  wholly  distinct  from  the  old  Benevolent 
Society,  and  confines  itself  to  the  mission  needs 
9 


66 

and  calls  as  well  as  the  partial  support  of  the 
minister  at  the  chapel.  In  addition  to  this  it 
holds  sociables  in  the  lecture-room  every  few 
months,  where  the  members  of  the  church  can 
meet  together  for  agreeable  fellowship  and  enter- 
tainment, and  where  strangers  may  be  introduced 
and  made  welcome  among  us. 

**The  Silver  Link  Society"  was  organized 
November  i,  1878,  and  is  composed  entirely  of 
young  ladies,  who  meet  from  week  to  week  for 
missionary  and  benevolent  purposes,  Mrs.  Joseph 
R.  Kerr  being  the  permanent  Superintendent. 
Although  in  formal  connection  with  the  Woman's 
Board  of  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  a  contributor  to  that  important  agency,  this 
society  engages  also  in  much  outside  work,  and 
sends  annual  donations  to  the  McAll  mission  in 
Paris,  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Newell, 
Jr.,  and  to  the  Home  of  the  Friendless  in  this  city. 

It  has  also  furnished  two  ship-libraries  through 
the  American  Seaman's  Friend  Society,  pur- 
chased a  scholarship  in  Hamadan,  and  supports 
a  Bible  reader  in  Petchaburi,  Siam.  The  first 
officers  were  Miss  Harrison  (now  Mrs.  Dr.  Ed- 
ward Parsons),  President;  Miss  Valentine,  Vice- 
President  ;  Miss  Ritchie,  Treasurer,  and  Miss 
Mattison,  Secretary. 

The  active  membership  numbers  twenty-eight 
and  there  is  a  good  list  of  honorary  members. 


67 

In  May,  1885,  the  young  ladies  organized  a 
branch  with  the  name  of  "  Pansy."  The  age  for 
membership  is  from  four  to  fourteen  years ;  and 
its  present  membership  is  twenty-three. 

This  is  but  a  glimpse  at  some  of  the  ways  by 
which  this  old  church  is  trying  to  fulfill  its  mission 
in  the  world. 

Its  financial  record  has  been  clean  and  bright. 
Such  men  as  Joseph  and  James  Stuart  were  ex- 
ceedingly jealous  of  its  honor,  and  by  their  wise 
counsel  and  liberal  deeds,  seconded  by  others  in 
the  church,  debt  has  never  lain  upon  the  roof,  and 
every  obligation  has  been  met  honestly  and  fully. 

The  income  during  the  first  year  of  its  exist- 
ence was  ^51  2s.  id.,  and  the  expenditure  about 
£1  less  than  that  amount.  Over  $720,000  have 
been  collected  and  paid  out  for  various  church  and 
benevolent  purposes,  and  this  does  not  include 
many  handsome  gifts  from  leading  members  to 
local  and  public  charities  —  gifts  of  which  there  is 
no  trace  upon  our  books. 

The  present  membership  is  a  little  over  450  on 
the  Active  Roll.  There  are  many  more  names 
on  the  Reserved  Roll,  of  those  who  have  dropped 
away  from  our  sight  and  of  whose  decease  we 
have  not  heard. 

The  Session  is  a  model  of  harmony,  canvassing 
the  congregation  with  the  pastor  once  every  year, 
and  frequently  taking  part  with  him  in  every  form 


68 

of  church  work.  The  present  members  are  Archi- 
bald McLintock,  Frederick  Blume,  Joseph  A. 
Macdonald,  James  R.  Cuming,  John  MacDon- 
ald,  James  Kydd,  and  Henry  C.  Smith. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  is  composed  of  David 
Morrison,  Francis  Pringle,  Joseph  G.  Harrison, 
John  Cameron,  John  H.  Allen,  and  Marcus  B. 
Bookstaver  ;  and  in  the  execution  of  their  trusts 
these  wear  worthily  the  mantle  of  the  fathers. 

Throughout  the  church  there  continues  to  be  a 
spirit  of  mutual  confidence  and  fraternal  regard  ; 
the  ordinances  are  well  attended,  especially  when 
it  is  remembered  that  the  people  are  very  much 
scattered ;  and  on  the  days  in  which  the  Lord's 
Supper  is  dispensed,  there  is  a  gathering  from 
even  remote  places,  as  if  all  wanted  to  be  to- 
gether when  the  blessed  King  comes  in  to  see  his 
guests. 

But  as  the  years  pass  familiar  faces  are  missed, 
for  God  is  calling  the  household  one  by  one  into 
His  heavenly  presence. 

A  ruling  elder,  Alexander  Mackenzie,  a  good 
man,  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  went 
from  us  only  last  month.  He  expected  to  have 
been  here  to  participate  on  this  occasion,  but 
God  had  provided  some  better  thing  for  him. 
Other  precious  graves  we  have  had  to  make  this 
autumn  ;  one,  that  of  Joseph  A.  Macdonald,  Jr., 
a  bright  lad  of  only  sixteen  summers.     And  there 


69 

are  those  yet  with  us  who  are  beginning  to  walk 
slowly  under  the  weight  of  years,  while  the  end  of 
the  pilgrimage  is  almost  in  sight.  But  their  faith 
fails  not,  their  hope  grows  brighter  as  the  shadows 
fall,  and  their  tones  are  soft  and  tender  as  we 
bend  our  heads  for  their  evening  blessing. 
Among  these  is  one  greatly  beloved  whose  min- 
isterial life  has  been  long  and  rich  ;  whose  ripe 
experience  and  wise  counsels  are  always  ours  for 
the  asking ;  whose  hymns  we  sing  to-day  ;  and 
whose  "good  gray  head  "  seems  to  carry,  not  the 
snows  of  his  eighty-five  winters,  but  the  dawnlight 
of  a  happy  eternity.  May  the  Lord  God  of  our 
fathers  keep  and  bless  us  every  one  !  I  cannot 
call  every  one,  but  He  knows  us  all,  just  as  He 
remembers  those  names  that  have  faded  out  under 
the  rain  and  moss  of  the  departed  century. 

It  but  remains  for  me  to  repeat  the  expression 
of  the  profound  and  adoring  gratitude  with  which 
we  recognize  the  good  hand  of  our  God  upon  us 
in  all  the  days  that  are  gone ;  and  then  to  voice 
our  united  entreaty  that  He  would  continue  to 
have  respect  unto  "the  covenant,"  hear  and  an- 
swer our  prayers,  making  us  a  name  and  a  praise 
unto  all  generations.  And  to  Him  shall  be  the 
glory  for  His  loving  mercy  and  for  His  truth's 
sake.     Amen  and  amen. 


Monday,  October  26,  188^.-7.^0  P.  M. 

i^ddresses  by  the 

Rev.  "W'lliam  ORI^'ston,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Rev.  Howard  Crosby,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Rev.  John  Hall,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


¥ 


The  Rev.  John  Thomson,  D.  D.,  presided,  and  was  assisted 
by  the  Rev.  Henry  J.  Van  Dyke,  Jr.,  D.  D. 


Address 


Rev.  William  Ormiston,  d.  d.,  ll.  d. 


T  affords  me  unspeakable  pleasure  to 
be  present  on  this  occasion  of  Christian 
rejoicing,  on  many  accounts,  and  first 
of  all,  that  I  can  see  you,  Mr.  Chair- 
man, in  your  venerability  and  freshness,  with 
eye  undimmed  and  strength  unabated,  sitting, 
presiding  over  the  present  gathering,  surrounded, 
as  you  are,  by  your  former  parishioners  and 
friends  of  other  years.  And  it  must  be  pecu- 
liarly gratifying,  I  think,  to  meet  with  them, 
many  of  whom  you  have  guided  and  admitted 
to  the  fellowship  of  the  Christian  church ;  whose 


72 

nuptial  vows  you  have  consecrated  and  blessed ; 
whose  deepest  sorrows  you  have  sympathized 
with,  and  by  the  death-bed  of  many  of  whose 
friends  you  have  ministered  consolation.  It  is 
almost  an  enviable  position  for  you  to  have  to- 
night, and  I  congratulate  you  upon  it  very 
much,  and  especially  when  all  the  memories  of 
other  days  are  likely  to  be  evoked,  and  all  the 
bonds  of  Christian  fellowship  brightened  and 
strengthened,  and  the  hopes  of  future  fellowship 
joyously  assured.  I  congratulate,  also,  the  con- 
gregation on  the  completion  of  a  century  of 
church  life,  and  on  all  the  manifest  tokens  of 
the  divine  favor  which  have  rested  on  them  dur- 
ing more  than  three  generations.  The  pillar 
of  cloud  by  day  and  of  fire  by  night  has  hovered 
over  you  to  direct  your  way,  and  whether  by 
the  bitter  waters  of  Mara,  or  the  green  palm 
trees  and  crystal  fountains  of  Elim,  whether  on 
the  mount  or  in  the  valley,  the  promised  pres- 
ence has  been  ever  with  you,  and  the  daily 
manna  has  not  failed  to  fall  around  your  tents. 
To-day  you  are  in  the  land  of  corn  and  wine  ; 
your  blessings  greatly  abound ;  your  candle 
burns  brightly,  and  your  hearts  rejoice,  and  you 
are  prepared  to  say,  "The  Lord  has  done  great 
things  for  .  us,  whereof  we  are  glad  " ;  and  we 
that  are  here  to-night  rejoicing  with  you  can 
gratefully    and  joyously   in    Christian   sympathy 


n 

say,   "Truly,  the   Lord   hath    done  great   things 
for  you." 

I  greet  you  right  heartily  in  my  own  name, 
but  I  rejoice  especially  in  the  privilege  and  high 
honor  of  bringing  to  you  the  joyous  greetings 
and  sincere  congratulations  of  the  church  I  repre- 
sent, the  Reformed  Church  of  America,  your 
oldest  sister  church  in  this  land,  one  with  you 
in  doctrine  and  discipline,  and  in  the  earnest 
maintenance  of  Christ's  crown  and  covenant; 
and  bring  you  the  hearty  greetings,  in  addition, 
of  the  Collegiate  Reformed  Dutch  Church  of 
the  City  of  New- York,  the  oldest  Protestant 
church  in  America,  so  far  as  I  know.  Through 
one  of  her  youngest  sons  by  her  kindly  adop- 
tion, she  sends  you  her,  not  to  say  sisterly,  or 
even  motherly,  but  I  may  say  grandmotherly 
salutations.  A  hundred  years  is  a  respectable 
age  for  a  maiden  church,  and  certainly  furnishes 
ground  for  high  hopes  of  matronly  usefulness 
and  housewifely  service  in  after  days.  But  seven 
years  ago  we  celebrated,  not  our  centennial,  but 
quarter-millennial  anniversary,  at  which  some  of 
you  were  present.  When  your  church  was  organ- 
ized in  1785,  the  then  venerable  Collegiate 
Church  had  attained  its  hundred  and  fifty-seventh 
year,  and  she  has  watched  with  kind  and  sis- 
terly affection  over  your  cradle,  your  infancy, 
your  girlhood,  and  your  maturity ;  and  once 
10 


74 

again  most  happily  I  greet  you  on  what  may  be 
regarded  as  the  period  of  your  attaining  your 
majority.  The  Collegiate  Church,  the  oldest 
congregation  in  the  city,  wishes  you  all  pros- 
perity and  abundant  usefulness,  and  expresses 
the  hope  that  your  noble  achievements  in  the 
past  may  be  only  an  earnest  of  your  greater 
and  more  extended  successes  in  the  future. 
Your  peace  and  prosperity  are  our  joy.  We 
rejoice  with  you.  And  as  you  have  once  already 
changed  your  ecclesiastical  relations,  should  you 
at  any  time,  for  any  reason,  wish  to  make 
another  change,  we  extend  to  you  the  arms  of 
cordial  welcome  and  are  ready  to  receive  you ; 
but  be  assured  there  is  no  feeling  of  jealousy 
or  envy,  or  anything  else  than  that  of  zealous 
cooperation  in  accomplishing  the  work  which  in 
common  has  been  assigned  us  to  do.  Whatever 
cheers  you  shall  gladden  us,  and  whatever  tries 
or  grieves  you  will  surely  sadden  us.  We  will 
joy  and  rejoice  with  you  as  we  do  to-day  when 
things  go  well  with  you,  and  we  will  weep  with 
you  if  a  time  of  trial  or  adversity  should  over- 
take you. 

I  congratulate  you  upon  the  facts  of  your  past 
history,  and  upon  the  succession  of  able,  gifted, 
zealous,  godly  men  who  have  ministered  unto 
you,  from  the  earnest,  devout,  and  saintly  Beve- 
ridge,    who    organized    the    congregation     and 


75 

supplied  its  pulpit  for  six  or  eight  years,  to  the 
genial,  brilliant,  eloquent,  and  effective  preacher, 
and  assiduous  and  sympathetic  pastor,  my  highly 
esteemed  and  truly  beloved  brother,  Dr.  Kerr, 
who  is  not  more  acceptable  to  you,  his  people, 
as  a  pastor,  by  reason  of  his  eminent  gifts  and 
great  diligence  and  obvious  success,  than  he  is 
endeared  to,  and  esteemed  by,  his  brethren  in 
the  ministry  for  his  unaffected  simplicity  and  the 
true  manliness  of  his  character,  as  well  as  the 
affability  and  courtesy  of  his  manners. 

The  first  pastor  of  this  church,  Mr.  Cree,  had 
a  very  brief  pastorate,  and  soon  passed  away. 
After  an  interval  of  some  years,  Mr.  Hamilton 
came,  and  left  his  impress  on  the  young  congre- 
gation, rendering  faithful  service  for  some  six- 
teen years,  greatly  beloved.  His  memory  dear 
is  fresh  with  some  of  the  elder  members  still. 
Then  came  Mr.  Stark,  a  man  of  iron  will,  of 
strong  and  vigorous  intellect  and  determined 
purpose,  whose  ministry  covered  a  period  of  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  During  his  pas- 
torate, the  congregation  moved  from  Nassau 
street  to  Grand.  These  men  have  passed  away 
to  their  rest  and  their  reward. 

In  185 1  the  honored  guest  of  the  congregation 
and  chairman  of  this  meeting  took  charge  of  the 
congregation,  and  soon  after  his  coming,  the 
congregation,  which  had  hitherto  been  connected 


76      , 

with  the  associate  body  of  Scotch  Presbyterians, 
united  with  the  great  Presbyterian  body,  a 
change  which  has  been  found  advantageous  and 
is  now  loyally  maintained.  It  was  in  1858  that 
I  first  heard  Dr.  Thomson  in  his  church  in 
Grand  street.  I  was  a  stranger  to  him  then  ; 
shortly  afterward,  however,  I  made  his  acquaint- 
ance on  a  visit  to  a  dear  common  friend,  now 
at  rest,  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  —  a  visit 
peculiarly  rich  to  me  as  the  beginning  of  life- 
long friendships,  and  of  very  warm  and  tender 
memories.  And  ever  since  that  time,  both  in 
Canada,  where  Dr.  Thomson  labored  for  a 
time,  and  in  New-York,  I  have  had  frequent 
fellowship  with  him.  Long  may  he  be  spared 
to  serve  the  Master  and  the  church  in  the  land 
of  his  nativity  and  mine ;  though  I  hope  he  will 
pardon  me  if  I  say  I  wish  he  had  remained  here, 
and  even  if  he  had  gone  home,  that  he  had  not 
given  his  adherence  to  the  theory  of  the  State 
Church.  He  did  not  always  like  it  any  better 
than  I  do,  to  my  certain  knowledge. 

With  the  present  pastor  my  intercourse  has 
been  most  intimate,  and  very  delightful  and 
refreshing.  He  is  a  brother  of  the  heart.  We 
have  not  only  frequently  exchanged  pulpits,  but 
mutual  affection  and  sympathy  and  brotherhood 
as  well.  May  his  pastorate  be  extended  till  it 
shall    far   exceed    that  of  his  predecessors,    and 


n 

until  his  raven  locks  shall  rival  even  yours,  my 
dear  sir  (turning  to  Dr.  Thomson),  in  snowy 
and  venerable  whiteness. 

I  am  personally  acquainted,  also,  with  not  a  few 
of  the  families  in  this  congregation,  and  there- 
fore I  can  rejoice  all  the  more  heartily  with 
them.  I  always  feel  myself  perfectly  at  home 
in  their  pulpit  or  by  the  ingle-sides  in  their 
homes. 

I  congratulate  you  still  further  upon  the  peace 
and  harmony  that  now  exists  so  largely  among 
you.  May  it  ever  continue,  till  every  heart 
and  home  shall  beat  as  that  of  one  man,  and 
its  fruits  abound  to  your  enlargement  and  use- 
fulness. 

I  congratulate  you  still  further  on  the  large 
increase  of  your  membership  during  these  last 
years,  and  on  the  amount  of  missionary  work 
which  you  have  done  in  aiding  evangelistic  work 
in  this  great  city. 

And  now,  on  entering  the  second  century  of  your 
existence  as  a  church,  may  you  receive  a  fresh 
baptism  from  on  high,  and  pastor  and  people 
alike  rejoice  in  a  time  of  great  refreshing  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord.  May  you  so  build 
that  your  work  will  remain,  and  when  another 
century  shall  have  passed  by,  which  it  is  not  at 
all  likely  any  of  us  will  live  to  see,  your  descend- 
ants shall   have   abundant  reason   to   give    God 


78 

thanks  for  the  noble  ancestry  whence  they  have 
sprung.  May  this  beautiful  house  stand  till  then, 
a  memorial  of  your  love  and  zeal,  and  be  even 
more  hallowed  than  now  as  the  birthplace  of 
thousands  of  souls,  and  by  the  accumulated 
associations  of  seasons  of  felt  communion  with 
each  other  and  fellowship  with  the  Father  and 
with  His  Son. 

I  gather  up  all  the  hearts  of  my  congregation 
and  put  them  into  one  single  hearty  congratu- 
lation and  good  wish  for  your  present  joy,  your 
future  prosperity,  and  your  eternal  felicity. 


Address 


Rev.  Howard  Crosby,  d.  d.,  ll.  d. 


R.  CHAIRMAN  AND  DEAR 
CHRISTIAN  FRIENDS:  I  do 
not  know  exactly  what  I  represent 
here  to-night  beyond  myself.  I 
come  as  belonging  to  the  great  Presbyterian 
Church  to  which  you  belong.  I  cannot  talk  to 
you  as  an  outsider  or  a  foreigner,  but  as  one  of 
your  own  people.  Perhaps  I  represent  the  city 
of  New- York,  for  I  believe,  as  I  look  upon  my 
brethren  upon  the  platform,  I  am  the  only  one 
who  was  born  in  the  city  of  New- York. 

This  church  was  born  one  hundred  years  ago, 
just  one  year  before  my  own   father  was  born, 


8o 

and  my  father  has  often  told  me  that  when  he 
was  four  years  old,  and  under  the  care  of  a  nurse, 
he  was  lost  in  the  woods  where  the  City  Hall 
now  stands ;   so  that  you  see  in  the  century  of 
your  church's  life-time,  how  this  church  itself  has 
moved  three  miles  out  of  the  old  town  where  it 
originated.     And  then,   when   I   look   back  fifty 
years,    in    my  own  life-time,   I   remember  when 
Bleecker  street  was  the  last  paved  street  in  the 
city,  north,  and  you  are  two  miles  outside  of  that 
town  of  fifty  years  ago  ;  and  yet  you  are  a  down- 
town church  now.    And  that  is  the  way  this  great 
city  has  grown,  spreading  not  only  to  the  north, 
but,  as  it  came  northward  from  its  original  little 
peninsula  down  by  Wall   street,    spreading   out 
east  and  west  on  its  way,  so  that  the  little  town 
of  about  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants  when  your 
church  was  born  is  now  a  metropolitan  city  of 
nearly  one  million  and  a  half  inhabitants.     What 
a   change  !      What   a   marvelous    development ! 
And  when  the  Christian  looks  at  that  history  his 
first  thought  is,  with  regard  to  this  great  grow- 
ing city  of  the  West,  How  has  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  prospered  in  it  ?     I  like  very  much  that 
reference  that  Dr.  Thomson  made  a  few  minutes 
ago  to  the  witnessing  of  those  that  have  gone 
before.     I  believe  it  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart. 
I  believe  the  words  "Wherefore,  seeing  we  are 
compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  wit- 


8i 

nesses  "  mean  something.  The  past  worthies  are 
here.  They  see  us.  I  beHeve  that  our  fathers 
and  mothers  of  this  church  of  New- York,  of  the 
Christian  Church  in  the  city,  are  witnessing  what 
we  are  doing,  how  we  are  living  for  the  Lord  and 
His  cause.  The  Church  is  one ;  it  is  a  living 
Church,  from  Adam  down  to  the  last  believer, 
always  living,  either  in  heaven  or  upon  earth,  and 
always  united,  the  same  family,  below  and  above, 
surrounding  the  throne,  or  lifting  up  their  prayers 
and  their  praises  together  to  Him  who  is  their 
life.  Ah,  it  is  a  glorious  thing  to  look  back  and 
feel  that  our  pious  ancestry  are  still  with  us, 
though  we  may  not  see  them  with  the  mortal 
eye.  Yes,  your  fathers  and  mothers,  dear  friends, 
are  here  with  us  to-night,  and  they  take  part  in 
our  joy  in  commemorating  the  centennial  anni- 
versary of  this  Church  of  Christ.  It  is  a  glorious 
thought,  and  a  very  proper  and  appropriate 
thought.  It  makes  our  hearts  more  solemn,  more 
courageous,  more  faithful,  when  we  think  of  those 
now  glorified  standing  by  us  in  sympathy  in  all 
the  work  and  conflict  in  which  we  still  are  placed. 
Brethren,  there  is  a  conflict,  and  it  is  not  only 
with  the  great  world  —  that  is  the  least  conflict, 
after  all.  Of  the  two  that  I  mention,  the  greatest 
conflict  is  with  the  devices  of  Satan  within  the 
Church  of  God.  Read  the  epistles  of  the  apos- 
tles, read  the  Book  of  Revelation,  and  you  will 
II 


82 

find  the  direst  enemy  the  truth  has  to  contend 
against  is  the  enemy  within  the  pale  of  the 
church.  Satan  gets  into  the  church  and  there 
works  his  evil.  Now  I  believe  the  Presbyterian 
Church  has  been  most  free  of  all  the  denomina- 
tions of  Christendom  from  this  internal  power  of 
corruption.  And,  under  God,  while  I  may  see 
various  causes  for  this,  I  believe  one  grand  rea- 
son is  its  strong  Scotch  ribs.  I  believe  that  this 
church  of  yours  represents  that  element  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  a  most  marked  way, 
quite  as  much  as  when  dear  old  Dr.  Stark  was 
your  pastor,  with  all  his  strenuous  earnestness. 
I  remember  him  well  in  my  boyhood.  I  believe 
that  you  as  a  church,  coming  right  out  of  the 
Scotch  parentage,  are  conspicuously  a  conserva- 
tive church,  conservative  of  God's  Bible  truth. 
And  we  want  such  churches  nowadays.  We  want 
to  contend  against  the  enemy  that  is  within  us. 

It  has  become  fashionable  nowadays  to  assimi- 
late Christianity  to  human  philosophy — make  it 
all  one  ;  so  that  it  does  not  make  much  differ- 
ence whether  you  are  a  pious  Buddhist,  or  a 
pious  Shintoist,  or  a  pious  Greek  of  the  old 
classic  period,  or  a  pious  Christian  ;  it  is  all  the 
same,  you  have  got  the  essential  Christ  in  you. 
And  that  is  the  doctrine  that  is  now  spreading 
within  the  Church  of  Christ — within  the  Church 
of  Christ.     And  in   this    great   desire   to   break 


83 

down  the  separating  wall  between  Christ's  gospel 
and  the  world  and  bring  all  men  on  a  level,  there 
are  four  grand  heresies, — I  call  them  heresies, 
with  capital  letters  all  the  way  through, — FOUR 
GRAND  HERESIES  that  are  now  started  in 
the  Church  of  Christ.  Let  us  look  out  that  this 
doctrine  does  not  get  into  the  Presbyterian 
Church  too  far.  It  is  like  the  camel  that  has 
got  his  head  in.  Don't  let  the  camel  get  his 
body  in. 

The  first  error  is  this  :  Sin  is  not  so  bad  a 
thing,  after  all.  Sin  is  a  misfortune,  but  it  is 
not  so  bad.  That  abominable  thing  that  God 
hates  is  not  so  bad,  after  all.  That  terrible  lost 
condition  of  the  human  soul,  alienated  from  God, 
is  not  so  bad  a  thing,,  after  all.  It  wants  a  little 
rubbing  here,  a  little  setting  up  there,  and  it 
will  be  all  right ;  sin  is  not  so  bad  a  thing,  after 
all.  Well,  when  we  have  got  to  that  pass,  we 
don't  want  a  Saviour.  We  want  a  helper,  per- 
haps, a  good  example  to  encourage  us  in  mend- 
ing our  ways,  and  to  get  us  all  right ;  and  so 
Jesus  Christ  will  be  a  very  good  example,  a 
"monument  of  love" — we  get  some  very  nice 
terms  to  express  what  He  is:  He  is  a  "monu- 
ment of  love";  He  is  an  "example  of  beauty"; 
He  is  esthetically  charming  to  the  soul.  That 
is  what  Jesus  Christ  is.  And  the  whole  sacri- 
ficial element  of  the   old  church  means  nothing 


84 

at  all.  The  cross  of  Christ,  the  blood  of  Christ, 
mean  nothing  at  all.  It  is  the  life  of  Christ, 
not  His  death,  that  is  now  emphasized ;  and  the 
death  and  the  blood  that  the  apostles  empha- 
sized, and  that  the  Holy  Ghost  emphasized,  all 
that  is  put  aside,  and  now  we  are  taught  that  it 
is  the  life  of  Christ  that  is  so  beautiful — and 
the  life  of  Socrates  and  Confucius  too.  Well, 
so  we  come  to  two  errors. 

Now  comes  the  third  error:  If  sin  is  not  so 
bad,  and  we  don't  want  a  Saviour,  what  is  the 
use  of  a  hell  ?  Oh,  hell  was  invented  by  Dante, 
or  Milton,  or  somebody  else.  There  comes  the 
third  error.  Canon  Farrar  says  (he  is  good 
authority  just  now)  we  are  all  going  to  be  con- 
signed to  eternal  hope.  We  read  the  twenty- 
first  chapter  of  Matthew,  third  verse ;  after 
describing  the  wicked,  it  says :  "  These  shall 
go  away  into  eternal  hope,  and  the  righteous 
into  life  eternal."    That  is  the  way  we  read  it  now. 

Then  we  have  got  another  trouble,  when  we 
look  at  the  New  Testament.  We  cannot  find 
these  things.  We  find  that  sin  is  awful — worse 
than  we  can  possibly  describe  or  imagine.  We 
find  that  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  expi- 
ation for  sin,  and  His  blood  cleanseth  from  sin, 
and  so  on.     We  find  there  is  a  hell  here. 

Then  we  will  add  a  fourth  error:  We  don't 
believe  the  Bible  ;  the  Bible  is  not  inspired  any 


85 

more  than  Milton  was.  That  is  the  fourth  error 
that  comes  along.  Strauss  began  forty-five  years 
ago  to  upset  the  New  Testament.  He  did  not 
succeed.  He  brought  out  the  grand  apologists 
who  proved  so  clearly  every  jot  and  tittle  of  the 
New  Testament  as  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that 
Satan  has  now  begun  at  the  Old  Testament. 
The  cunning  arch-deceiver  knows  that  if  the 
Old  Testament  goes,  the  New  Testament  goes, 
and  Christ  goes,  for  Christ  is  responsible  for  the 
Old  Testament.  Then  they  go  to  upsetting 
Moses  :  there  never  was  any  Moses,  but  some- 
body after  Ezra's  time  invented  the  whole  story 
commonly  attributed  to  Moses.  And  if  that  is 
so,  then  what  Christ  said  about  Moses  and  the 
prophets  is  all  wrong. 

So  Satan  is  working  in  the  midst  of  the 
church  to  upset  the  Bible  in  that  way.  Now, 
brethren,  it  is  your  grand  prerogative  and  your 
glory  that  you  stand  by  the  Old  and  the  New 
Testament,  that  you  stand  by  the  truth  as  it 
has  been  delivered  to  the  Saints  from  age  to 
age.  And  this  miserable  new  theology,  which 
is  a  very  old  theology, — very  old  theology, — as 
old  as  Clement  of  Alexandria,  as  old  as  those 
first  heretics  who  started  out  with  Clement,  as 
old  as  those  heretics  who  tried  to  rope  in  Greek 
philosophy  with  the  revelation  of  God — this 
new    theology    is  just    so    old — do    you    stand 


86 

as  a  strong  tower  against  it.  God  bless  you 
for  it.  God  give  you  length  of  days  and  still 
greater  strength  in  the  mighty  work.  You  have 
been  a  pillar  of  strength  in  this  city  for  a  hun- 
dred years.  You  are  going  to  be  for  a  hundred 
years  to  come,  yea,  to  the  millennial  day;  and 
that  is  the  grandest  wish  I  can  have  regarding 
you,  that  you  will  be  faithful  to  the  Word  of 
God,  that  you  will  frame  your  lives  according 
to  that  Word,  and  not  according  to  all  the 
philosophers  and  eloquent  preachers,  even  if  they 
be  archdeacons  or  reverend  doctors.  God  give 
you  a  future  still  more  glorious  than  the  past. 


Address 


REV.  John  Hall,  d.  d.,  ll  d. 


Y  DEAR  CHRISTIAN  FRIENDS: 
I  was  laboring  under  a  slight 
mistake  as  to  the  hour  when  this 
meeting  was  to  begin,  and  so  I 
came  in  a  little  late,  a  circumstance  for  which 
I  have  to  apologize,  for  I  like  to  be  at  the 
beginning  of  every  good  meeting.  Then  I 
found  that  my  brethren  were  under  the  same 
misapprehension,  I  presume,  and  it  was  suggested 
to  me  by  my  brother,  the  pastor  of  the  church, 
that  I  should  change  places  and  make  the  first 
address,  and  I  confess  I  accepted  that  idea  with 

87 


88 

a  little  secret  satisfaction,  from  the  feeling  that 
I  would  then  have  the  responsibility  lifted  from 
me,  and  be  able  to  listen  without  any  reserve 
or  anxiety  about  what  I  was  to  say  myself, 
after  the  admirable  addresses  that  I  knew 
would  be  delivered  by  my  brethren.  They  have 
come  in,  however,  and  taken  their  places,  and 
so  I  come  to  be  at  the  close  of  this  very  pleasant 
and  very  significant  meeting. 

There  is  one  little  drawback  to  my  enjoyment 
in  being  here.  I  had  a  letter  this  morning 
from  Mr.  George  H.  Stuart,  of  Philadelphia, 
whose  name  is  known  to  all  of  us,  and  who 
was  pleased  with  the  prospect  of  taking  some 
part  in  these  exercises ;  but  I  regret  to  say 
that  the  state  of  his  health  is  such  that  his 
friends  and  medical  advisers  at  Clifton,  where 
he  is  sojourning  for  a  time,  did  not  approve  of 
his  coming.  If  he  had  been  here,  you  can 
most  of  you  understand,  in  some  degree,  how 
much  heart  and  how  much  hope  he  would  have 
put  into  the  address  that  he  would  have  made 
to  you. 

I  have  various  personal  reasons  for  being 
very  happy  in  this  meeting.  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  knowing  Dr.  Thomson  many  years  before  I 
came  to  live  in  this  city.  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  having  him  under  my  roof  when  I  was  a 
clergyman  in  the  capital  city  of  my  native  county. 


89 

Armagh,  in  Ireland.  Then  it  is  rather  a  sin- 
gular coincidence  to  me  that  in  this  church  for 
the  very  first  time  I  had  the  privilege  given  to 
me  to  speak  a  few  words  upon  American  soil. 
I  sometimes  think  that  I  must  have  spoken 
remarkably  well,  for  there  has  not  been  a  year 
since  when  the  people  have  not  insisted  upon 
my  coming  and  speaking  again,  and  it  has  been 
a  very  great  pleasure,  I  am  bound  to  say,  to 
do  it.  There  are  other  reasons,  however,  that 
lie  nearer  the  heart,  for  my  taking  a  deep  interest 
in  this  congregation.  I  knew  about  it  long 
before  I  saw  this  building;  I  knew  about  it 
from  relatives,  dear  and  valued  kindred,  who  used 
to  write  to  me  and  speak  to  me  of  the  good 
work  that  was  being  done,  and  the  high  evan- 
gelical tone  that  was  being  maintained.  I 
remember  very  well,  on  that  first  night  when  I 
came  and  met  with  the  people  here,  being  deeply 
impressed  with  the  group  of  Elders  to  whom  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  being  introduced.  I  have 
rarely  seen  a  more  venerable  and  thoughtful - 
looking  body  of  men.  I  think  most  of  them, 
like  the  relatives  to  whom  I  have  alluded,  have 
finished  their  course,  having  kept  the  faith,  and 
have  entered  into  the  rest  that  remaineth  for 
the  people  of  God.  But  their  memory  still  lives, 
and  I  am  glad  to  see  that  their  children  still 
live.     You  can  understand  how,  therefore,  with 

12 


90 

these  pleasant  associations  with  this  church  and 
with  this  people,  I  feel  no  common  interest  in 
being  with  you  here  to-night;  and  with  all  my 
heart  I  join  every  good  wish  that  has  been 
already  eloquently  expressed  for  your  continued 
unity  in  the  faith,  your  continuance  in  Christian 
living,  your  activity  in  Christian  work,  and  your 
maintenance  of  that  spirit  you  have  attained, 
through  which  God's  people  are  prepared  on 
earth  for  enjoying  the  felicities  of  the  life  to 
come. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  large  infusion 
of  Scotch  blood  and  character  that  entered  into 
the  formation,  and  I  presume  long  continued  in 
the  maintenance,  of  this  congregation.  I  have 
a  very  exalted  idea  of  the  many  good  qualities 
of  that  Scottish  blood,  perhaps  I  should  say 
more  especially  after  it  has  been  carried  over 
into  the  adjoining  island  of  Ireland  for  five  or 
six  generations,  or  mingled,  with  wisdom  and 
prudence,  with  a  portion  of  the  blood  of  other 
and  kindred  nations.  There  is  no  race  of  men 
upon  the  earth  that,  in  view  of  its  numbers 
and  position,  has  made  a  more  illustrious  mark. 
There  is  no  race  that  has  secured  a  higher 
place  in  the  judgment  of  all  honest-minded  and 
thoughtful  men. 

It  has  sometimes  been  alleged  that  there  are 
weaknesses  in  the  Scottish  character.     Well,  the 


91 

Scottish  people  are  human,  and  it  may  be  ex- 
pected that  there  will  be  weaknesses,  but  even 
these  weaknesses  can  be  defended  if  we  will 
only  take  the  trouble  to  look  at  them  can- 
didly. There,  for  example,  is  the  statement 
that  has  gone  all  round  the  world,  again  and 
again,  on  very  high  authority,  that  it  takes  some- 
thing like  a  surgical  operation  to  make  a  Scotch- 
man understand  a  joke.  I  think  a  very  good 
reply  was  made  to  that  by  a  Scotchman  to  a 
Southern  friend  who  repeated  that  stale  insinu- 
ation, and  the  Scotchman  said  quietly :  "  Yes, 
an  English  joke."  There  is  no  difficulty  in 
understanding  the  Scottish  wit,  to  Scottish  men. 
In  the  same  way  it  has  sometimes  been  alleged 
that  Scottish  people  are  a  little  too  persistent, 
the  persistency  amounting  occasionally  to  obsti- 
nacy. Well,  there  is  very  much  in  the  angle  of 
observation  at  which  you  stand,  and  the  standard 
that  you  have  adopted  in  your  own  mind,  when 
you  are  trying  to  judge  of  the  character.  I  say 
that  it  is  eminently  to  the  credit  of  the  Scotch 
people  that  they  have  such  tenacity  of  purpose, 
and  that,  having  taken  hold  of  a  thing  (and  they 
do  not  do  it  quickly),  it  will  take  a  good  deal  to 
compel  them  to  let  go.  Look  at  Scottish  stu- 
dents. Hundreds  and  hundreds  of  them  have 
gone  to  Glasgow  and  to  Edinburgh  in  their 
poverty,  entering  the  University,  struggling  with 


92 

difficulty  Jiving  upon  oatmeal,  dressing  plainly,  not 
ashamed  or  afraid  to  work  when  work  can  be 
done,  so  as  independently  and  upon  their  own 
resources,  and  without  any  sacrifice  of  self- 
respect,  to  take  their  places  in  the  learned  pro- 
fessions, in  which,  in  so  many  cases,  they  have 
commanded  distinguished  positions. 

And  I  am  glad  to  say  that  not  merely  have 
they  this  tenacity  of  purpose,  but  they  carry  with 
them  the  religious  influences  under  which  they 
have  been  brought  up.  I  have  crossed  the  sea 
many  times,  and  almost  invariably  I  have  found 
that  the  men  who  are  trusted  with  the  manage- 
ment of  the  costly  machinery  of  our  great  ocean 
steamers  are  Scotchmen,  whose  skill  and  per- 
severance can  be  depended  upon  for  the  man- 
agement of  some  of  the  greatest  interests ;  and 
you  will  find  the  majority  of  them  God-fearing 
men.  I  lived  for  some  years  in  the  western 
portion  of  my  native  land,  where  there  were 
comparatively  few  Protestants,  but  here  and 
there  you  found  a  Scotchman,  who  was  a  gar- 
dener, or  in  some  position  that  implied  superior 
taste  and  education,  and  you  found  these  men 
everywhere  lights  in  the  place,  standing  up  for 
the  truth  that  they  had  been  taught  in  the  land 
where  they  received  their  birth  and  training.  It 
is  a  perfectly  conceivable  thing  that  men  here 
and  there  may  carry  a  trait  to  that  extent  that 


93 

it  becomes  open  to  criticism.  I  remember  the 
late  Dr.  Stuart  Robinson,  a  remarkably  able  and 
genial  man,  a  Scotchman,  but  whose  blood  had 
come  through  Ireland,  telling  me  this  illustration 
of  the  very  truth  that  I  am  bringing  to  your 
notice  now.  A  Scottish  man  and  his  family 
moved  from  Scotland  and  went  down  into  Ken- 
tucky ;  naturally  the  head  of  the  family  looked 
around  to  see  where  they  would  go  and  unite 
themselves  for  worship  on  the  Lord's  Day.  They 
attended  various  churches  in  the  neighborhood 
so  as  to  try  the  spirits  and  know  what  was  being 
taught  there.  He  did  not  think  where  was  the 
most  fashionable  church,  or  where  was  the  church 
that  would  give  him  the  best  set-off,  or  anything 
of  that  sort ;  he  wanted  to  know  where  they 
taught  the  truth,  and  would  edify  him  and  his 
family  ;  and  at  last  he  heard  a  man  who  seemed 
to  have  just  the  gifts,  on  the  whole,  that  would 
be  to  his  comfort  and  instruction.  But  before 
putting  in  his  name  or  doing  anything  to  make 
an  arrangement  of  a  permanent  sort,  he  respect- 
fully requested  an  interview  with  the  minister 
and  the  elders.  They  gave  him  the  interview, 
and  he  told  them  of  his  history  and  how  he  had 
come  to  be  there,  and  what  his  motive  was  in 
seeking  this  interview.  **  Now,"  he  said,  "I  want 
to  know  this,  whether  are  you  in  this  congre- 
gation   Burghers     or    Anti-burghers  ? "      They 


94 

explained,  modestly,  that  they  didn't  even  know 
the  meaning  of  those  words.  "Well,  no  matter," 
he  said,  "  I  will  tell  you  now  what  these  words 
mean  " ;  and  then  he  explained,  as  only  a  verita- 
ble Scotchman  could  do,  the  distinction  between 
these  two  sects  of  opinion  in  Scotland.  And 
he  said,  "  Now,  brethren,  suppose  these  issues 
should  arise  here ;  with  which  side  would  you 
array  yourselves  ?  because  I  want  to  be  on  the 
right  side."  I  admit  that  that  will  provoke  a 
smile  on  the  part  of  almost  any  one;  and  so  it 
should,  but  it  is  unspeakably  better  than  that 
class  of  thinking  to  which  Dr.  Crosby  has  made 
eloquent  allusion.  It  is  unspeakably  better  than 
that  carelessness,  recklessness,  and  indifference 
to  the  things  that  are  taught  to  us  and  to  our 
children,  provided  only  that  they  be  fashionable, 
and  that  they  give  us  a  decent  show  of  religious 
life  as  we  are  passing  through  this  vale  of  tears. 

I  like  the  Scotch  people  among  other  things 
for  this;  that  they  have  all  along  maintained 
such  just  conceptions  of  the  real  character  of 
worship  before  God  Almighty.  I  hear  men  talk 
as  if  the  Deity  were  to  be  accounted  an  amateur 
in  music.  I  hear  men  talk  as  if  esthetics  con- 
stituted the  sum  total  of  His  attributes.  I  hear 
men  talk  as  if  they  thought  that  their  mere 
appearance  in  God's  house  on  His  day  must 
necessarily  be  the  thing  which  will  please  Him, 


95 

who  is  a  Spirit,  who  searches  the  heart,  and  who 
tries  the  reins  of  the  children  of  men.  The 
Scottish  people  have  had  a  better  idea  of  wor- 
ship than  that  which  we  all  too  frequently  see 
illustrated  round  about  us.  Of  course  I  can 
understand  how  that  conviction  may  be  carried 
into  regions  where  it  will  be  called  prejudice  or 
bigotry.  Some  of  you  have  heard  the  story  of 
the  good  Scottish  woman  who  was  employed  in 
the  service  of  a  very  rich  English  lady  who 
was  in  the  habit  of  attending  the  cathedral, 
while  the  Scottish  woman  insisted  on  going  to 
her  own  place  of  worship.  The  English  woman 
was  very  anxious  that  her  Scottish  maid  should 
once  see  the  grandeur  and  beauty  and  irresist- 
ible charm  of  the  cathedral  service.  She  per- 
suaded her  one  day  to  go  and  attend  it,  and  the 
maid  went,  feeling,  of  course,  that  she  was  for 
the  time  doing  her  duty  and  obeying  her  em- 
ployer. She  heard  the  intonations  and  saw  the 
procession,  listened  to  the  overtures  and  to  the 
music,  without  saying  much  about  it.  Her  em- 
ployer was  anxious  to  know  what  impression  had 
been  made,  and  she  said:  "Well,  Janet,  did  you 
like  it?  What  did  you  think  of  it?"  "Well, 
ma'am,  it  was  very  nice,  it  was  very  nice," — 
that  was  kindly  to  her  mistress ;  then  she 
began  to  think  of  what  was  due  to  her  own 
conscience, — "But,  ah,  ma'am,"  said  she,  "that's 


96 

an  awful  way  to  spend  the  Sabbath  day."  Yes, 
I  like  these  conceptions  that  the  Scottish  peo- 
ple have  about  plain  worship ;  and  if  it  be  one 
of  the  great  purposes  of  the  services  of  God's 
house  to  make  people  intelligent,  to  make  them 
self-reliant,  to  make  them  manly,  to  make  them 
courageous  before  their  fellow-men,  and  meek 
and  lowly  before  God,  then  I  say  these  Scottish 
services  have  not  failed  in  the  purposes  that 
Christian  services  contemplate.  Let  any  one 
that  is  acquainted  in  any  degree  with  Scottish 
history  look  at  the  influence  that  the  people  of 
that  small  and  barren  portion  of  a  not  very  large 
island  have  exercised.  Go  to  India — the  bravest 
and  the  noblest  men  that  have  secured  and  held 
India  for  Great  Britain  have  been  Scottish  men. 
I  remember,  when  a  comparatively  young  man, 
making  occasional  trips  over  to  Edinburgh  on 
church  business,  and  in  Edinburgh  there  lived 
what  was  called  the  Indian  Colony.  It  consisted 
of  retired  officers  who  had  served  their  time  in 
India  and  been  pensioned  off.  They  were  among 
the  finest  men  that  you  could  find  in  that  beautiful 
capital.  Look  at  the  number  of  Scotchmen  in 
Great  Britain,  and  though  the  numbers  are  small, 
in  some  instances,  the  proportion  of  influence 
wielded  by  them  is  out  of  proportion  to  the  num- 
ber of  Scotchmen  that  are  there.  Go  over  the 
border  to  Canada,  in  which  the  Scottish  people 


97 

have  Impressed  their  character  in  a  great  degree. 
You  don't  read  the  Sunday  newspapers  there; 
you  don't  find  cars  traveUng  on  the  street  on 
Sunday.  You  are  conscious,  the  moment  you  go 
into  the  Protestant  portion  of  Canada,  that  there 
is  an  atmosphere  pervading  it  that  is  only  ex- 
plained by  the  fact  that  the  Bible  has  taken  such 
hold  on  the  conscience  and  thereby  molded  to 
such  a  great  extent  the  habits  of  the  people. 

I  like  the  system  that  the  Scottish  people 
fell  upon  through  the  study  of  God's  word  for 
managing  the  affairs  of  the  church,  and  pro- 
moting great  spiritual  interest,  and  I  would  like 
to  see  you  Protestants — I  do  not  speak  for 
myself;  I  speak  for  one  of  the  great  historians 
of  England,  who  was  by  no  means  a  particularly 
religious  or  spiritual  man,  who  says,  in  effect, 
that  the  ways  of  dealing  with  any  religious 
question  in  Scotland  are  very  remarkable ;  they 
have  their  General  Assembly,  and  they  have 
their  Synod,  and  they  have  their  Presbytery, 
and  they  have  their  Kirk-session,  and  they  have 
their  Congregation  ;  and  when  any  great  question 
arises,  it  is  discussed  in  the  Assembly,  and  it  is 
discussed  in  the  Synod,  and  it  is  discussed  in 
the  Presbytery,  and  it  is  discussed  in  the  Kirk- 
session,  and  it  is  discussed  all  over  the  parish. 
"And  what  is  the  consequence?"  he  said. 
**Why,  these  Scottish  people  know  with  aston- 
13 


98 

ishing  intelligence  the  merits  of  every  great  ques- 
tion of  this  kind."  And  he  adds  (and  this  is  the 
point  that  I  would  emphasize) :  "  Hence  the  re- 
markable distinction  between  England  and  Scot- 
land." England  has  an  established  church,  with 
great  wealth,  with  the  universities  and  kindred 
institutions  under  its  control;  with  prestige,  with 
power,  with  authority,  with  everything  that  might 
make  up  the  church  of  the  masses  of  the  people. 
But  what  is  the  consequence  ?  What  is  the 
effect?  Why,  more  than  one-half  of  the  popula- 
tion of  England  have  gone  out  of  that  estab- 
lished church.  And  where  have  they  gone? 
Have  they  gone  to  get  a  purer  Episcopal  church  ? 
A  better  hierarchy  ?  Nothing  of  the  kind.  Al- 
most without  exception  they  have  gone  as  far 
away  as  they  could  from  everything  that  was 
distinctive  of  the  national  church, — away  from 
the  bishops,  away  from  the  hierarchy,  away 
from  the  ritual,  away  from  everything  except 
what  they  accounted  spiritual  freedom.  Go  into 
Scotland,  on  the  other  hand.  Scotland,  to-day, 
has  dissenting  bodies.  There  have  been  United 
Presbyterians,  Associate  Presbyterians,  Reformed 
Presbyterians,  Free-church  Presbyterians;  but 
in  every  case  where  these  people  have  left  the 
establishment  in  Scotland,  it  has  been,  not  to 
get  as  far  away  from  Presbyterianism  as  they 
could,    but  to   get,    as   they   believed,    a   better 


99 

Presbyterianism,  free  from  the  faults  and  errors 
and  mistakes  into  which  they  believed  the 
mother  church,  for  the  time,  had  been  led.  And 
as  to  the  tenacity  of  belief,  we  know,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  that  the  people  of  consequence, 
the  gentry  and  land-owners,  almost  to  a  man, 
have  associated  themselves  with  the  church  that 
is  in  power  in  England,  and  they  have  many 
times  been  a  little  unscrupulous  in  the  effort  to 
push  the  interests  of  their  church ;  and  with 
what  results?  About  two  hundred  congregations 
of  that  order  is  the  whole  amount  of  what  they 
have  been  enabled  to  secure  in  Scotland,  and 
some  of  these  congregations  are  extremely  small. 
Now  on  these  grounds  I  say  I  cannot  but  have 
a  strong  preference  for  Scottish  thought  and 
Scottish  ways,  and  for  the  distinctive  features 
of  the  Scottish  character,  and  I  do  hope  that 
these  features  will  never  be  totally  obliterated 
in  this  Christian  congregation.  You  have  round 
about  you  the  varied  tints  of  autumnal  leaves, 
beautiful  in  decay.  They  are  not  to  repre- 
sent this  congregation.  If  they  do  represent 
anything,  it  will  be  the  hoary  heads  that  I  see 
in  numbers  scattered  over  this  flock.  But  if 
you  want  something  here  that  is  to  represent  this 
congregation,  let  it  be  these  evergreens  on  the 
right  hand  and  on  the  left,  that  through  all 
seasons  keep  their  color,   that  through  all  sea- 


lOO 

sons  have  the  look  of  vigor  and  prosperity  about 
them. 

Allusion  was  made  in  a  very  genial  way  (Dr. 
Ormiston  never  does  anything  that  is  not  in  a 
genial  way)  to  the  greater  antiquity  of  the  breth- 
ren of  the  Reformed  Church,  of  which  he  is  a 
brilliant  and  honored,  as  well  as  useful,  pastor; 
and  he  even  suggested  that  if  we  of  the  General 
Assembly  should  want  to  make  a  change  again, 
or,  at  least,  if  this  congregation  should  want  to 
make  a  change  again,  there  will  be  a  pleasant 
home  within  the  borders  of  our  brethren  of  the 
Reformed  Church.  It  is  like  his  greatness  of 
heart ;  it  is  like  his  magnanimity.  But  there  is 
another  way  of  looking  at  it.  Call  that  church 
the  mother  church,  if  you  like,  and  this,  and  even 
the  whole  general  assembly  to  which  it  belongs, 
a  daughter ;  call  it  so,  if  you  please.  I  have 
known  many  happy  cases  where  the  dear,  vener- 
able, aged  mother,  become  a  grandmother,  has 
gone  into  the  dwelling  of  the  daughter  and  been 
cared  for  with  as  much  sweetness  and  love  as 
ever  she  had  in  her  own  home.  And  if  anything 
like  this  should  ever  transpire  here,  it  will  be  a 
common  joy  and  gladness  to  all  of  us. 

The  truth  is  (and  this  is  the  last  word  that  I 
want  to  say,  because  it  is  not  proper  to  detain 
you  too  long),  we  are  reformed  Christians :  We 
are  a  Reformed  Church,  thank  God,  and  I  hope 


lOI 

we  shall  stand  fast  by  the  reformation.  My 
brother  Kerr  and  I  are  United  Presbyterians. 
There  used  to  be  an  old  school  and  a  new  school; 
but  we  are  United  Presbyterians,  and  I  should  be 
delighted  if  the  so-called  United  Presbyterians 
that  are  in  this  city  and  round  about  us  would 
take  us  into  their  ranks,  and  the  General  Assem- 
bly include  these  different  bodies  of  practically 
the  same  church.  It  would  be  a  great  deal 
better  for  them  to  come  and  join  with  us,  than  to 
be  divided  into  so  many  branches.  I  remember 
many  years  ago  meeting  a  most  brilliant  United 
Presbyterian  minister,  who  came  over  to  visit  us 
in  Dublin,  and  in  the  course  of  a  genial  speech 
that  he  made  there,  in  which  we  were  alternat- 
ingly  laughing  and  weeping,  he  made  this  state- 
ment, which  I  never  forgot.  He  said:  "For  the 
sake  of  brevity,  the  people  call  us  United  Pres- 
byterians, '  U.  P's,'  and  we  must  take  care  never 
to  divide  up  again,  for  if  we  did,  they  would  be 
sure  to  call  us  'split  peas'  ever  after." 

And  there  is  another  branch,  the  Covenanters. 
Brethren,  I  am  a  Covenanter.  I  adhere  in  the 
main  to  the  distinctive  principle  of  the  so-called 
Covenanters  of  the  ancient  days.  I  love  their 
memory  ;  I  revere  their  spirit.  I  am  proud  of 
having  hereditary  union  with  them.  I  am  glad 
to  think  that  members  of  my  own  household  are 
among  their  ranks  to-day.     And  I  shall  be  glad 


I02 

when  all  this  general  assembly,  when  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Southern  Church,  Dutch  Re- 
formed, United  Presbyterians,  and  Covenanters, 
joined  in  one,  shall  be  found  bearing  testimony 
heartily  and  unitedly  to  that  great  evangelical 
truth  which  is  the  glory  of  the  church,  which  it 
is  our  business  to  maintain,  and  by  the  procla- 
mation of  which  issues  a  blessing  continually  to 
the  wide  world. 


Tuesday,  October  2y,  iSS^.—j.^o  P.  M. 

^Addresses  by  the 

I^Ev.  Henry  y[.  Field,  D.  D. 

Rev.  R.  R.  Booth,  D.  D. 

Rev.  W.  M-  Taylor,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


^ 


The  Pastor  presided,  and  was  assisted  by  the  Revs.  S.  B. 
Rossiter  and  T.  W.  Chambers,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


ADDRESS 


REV.  HENRY  M.  FIELD,  D.  D. 


Y  DEAR  BRETHREN:  When 
you  listen  to  such  a  ringing  voice 
as  that  of  your  pastor,  you  need 
few  words  from  others.  But  certainly 
it  is  a  privilege  to  me,  and  a  privilege  to  all 
these  brethren  who  are  here  to-night,  to  come 
in  and  look  in  your  faces,  and  join  in  your 
hymns,  and  listen  to  the  prayers  that  are 
offered  ;  to  give  united  thanks  to  Almighty  God 
that  He  has  preserved  this  church  for  a  hundred 
years.  A  hundred  years !  a  century !  That  is  a 
long   stretch  in    the   life   of  man,  or  in  the  life 


I05 

of  generations.  We  are  accustomed  to  reckon 
thirty  years  as  the  Hfe  of  a  generation,  since  that 
on  the  average  is  about  the  active  period  of  a 
man's  Hfe ;  and  hence  he  who  keeps  watch  of 
the  current  of  human  activity,  who  keeps  his 
eye  on  the  column  as  it  is  marching  on,  will, 
in  the  course  of  thirty  years,  see  one  genera- 
tion of  workers  pass  off  the  stage,  and  another 
come  up  upon  it.  And  so  we  may  reckon  that 
in  the  last  hundred  years  three  generations  have 
passed  off  the  stage  ;  those  that  were  children, 
yea,  those  that  were  not  born  a  hundred  years 
ago,  have  come  into  life,  have  been  children, 
have  been  young  men  and  women,  have  per- 
formed the  duties  of  manhood  and  womanhood, 
have  grown  to  old  age  and  passed  away,  to  be 
succeeded  by  others ;  while  this  Church  of 
Christ  has  remained  the  same.  Here  the  altar 
has  stood,  here  the  fire  has  burned,  from  gener- 
ation to  generation  ;  and  here  we  hope  in  God 
the  fire  is  to  burn  for  a  hundred  years  to  come. 
We  rejoice,  my  dear  brethren,  in  all  the 
memories  of  the  past,  the  memories  of  the  liv- 
ing and  the  dead.  You  recall,  as  you  sit  here 
in  these  seats,  those  honored  fathers  and  mothers, 
who  "have  all  died  in  faith,  and  have  inherited 
the  promises."  You  remember  the  tender  and 
sacred  beauty  of  those  characters  which  were 
patterns  to  their  children ;  you  mark  them,  as 
14 


io6 

they  pass  through  all  the  stages  of  life  till  its 
close,  preserving  the  same  serenity  and  sweet- 
ness and  peace  unto  the  end.  When  they 
passed  away,  they  left  to  you,  their  survivors, 
the  rich  inheritance  of  their  example. 

How  much  there  is  in  the  review  of  a  hun- 
dred years  to  encourage  our  faith  in  God,  our 
faith  in  that  overruling  providence  which  con- 
trols all  the  affairs  of  men,  of  churches,  and  of 
nations  !  How  we  see  the  hand  of  God  in  the 
history  of  our  country!  A  hundred  years  ago 
this  nation  was  just  emerging  from  the  long 
eight-years'  war  which  ended  in  independence. 
The  country  was  poor,  thinly  settled,  weak, 
with  everything  yet  to  be  done  ;  and  yet  how 
wonderful  has  been  its  career !  Within  a  hun- 
dred years  it  has  passed  through  periods  of 
adversity,  through  financial  distresses,  through 
wars  with  foreign  nations,  and,  worse  than  all, 
through  the  greatest  civil  war  of  modern  times ; 
but  all  these  trials  have  come  and  gone,  and  still 
the  nation  lives.  And  so  may  we  say,  with  more 
emphasis  still,  the  Church  lives,  in  spite  of  all 
attacks  upon  her;  and  so  the  Church  will  live 
in  the  hundred  years  to  come. 

I  am  not  going  to  say  much,  because  here 
behind  me  sits  my  brother.  Dr.  Booth,  who  has 
just  returned  from  the  East,  who  has  seen  what  is 
going  on  there  in  that  old  world,  which  is  becom- 


I07 

ing  the  new  world.  We  are  accustomed  to  say, 
in  our  vanity :  *'  Westward  the  star  of  empire 
takes  its  way."  So  it  does,  but  in  time  the  star 
of  empire  may  go  down  in  the  West,  and  rise 
again  in  the  East.  He  who  looks  toward  the 
dawn  will  see  the  curtain  rise  on  great  events, 
and  that  before  many  years.  Such  events  are 
already  transpiring.  To-day  the  attention  of  the 
whole  world  is  attracted  to  Turkey,  that  border- 
land between  Europe  and  Asia,  where,  even  at 
this  very  moment,  there  are  wars  and  rumors  of 
wars,  the  signs  of  great  changes  both  in  the 
political  and  the  religious  world.  Dr.  Booth  has 
just  passed  through  that  country,  and  can  de- 
scribe it  with  all  the  vividness  of  a  recent  witness. . 
Only  yesterday  I  was  at  a  breakfast  given  to 
Archdeacon  Farrar,  to  which  were  invited  repre- 
sentatives of  the  press,  and  beside  me  sat  the 
editor  of  the  Evening  Post,  who,  twenty  years 
and  more  ago,  was  the  correspondent  of  the 
London  News  in  the  Crimean  war;  and  he  said 
to  me  as  we  talked  of  the  East,  "One  day  that 
I  was  at  Belgrade,  I  saw  a  courier  ride  into 
that  city,  who  had  come  all  the  way  from  Constan- 
tinople, riding  nine  days  and  nights  ;  for  the  rule 
was  that  he  should  never  dismount  from  his  horse, 
except  to  eat —  not  to  sleep  ;  for  he  was  to  sleep 
on  horseback.  When  horses  were  to  be  changed, 
he  did  not  dismount,   but  was   lifted   from    one 


io8 

horse  to  another,  so  that  his  feet  should  not 
touch  the  ground  till  he  had  passed  over  that 
immense  distance  from  Constantinople  to  Bel- 
grade!" Nine  days  and  nights  !  and  now  soon  the 
iron  horse  will  carry  all  the .  couriers  and  all 
the  travelers  over  that  immense  distance  within 
twenty-four  hours!  So  the  ends  of  the  world  are 
coming  together. 

And  there  are  great  changes  going  on  in  the 
religious  world.  One  of  the  most  gratifying 
things  to  the  traveler  in  the  East  is  to  see  what 
has  been  done  by  missionaries,  and  by  American 
missionaries ;  how  their  little  churches  and  their 
schools  dot  all  European  and  Asiatic  Turkey,  and 
how  they  have  built  great  colleges  on  the  Bos- 
phorus,  and  at  Beirut,  overlooking  the  Mediter- 
ranean, and  at  Aintab  and  Kharpoot,  in  the 
interior  of  Asiatic  Turkey. 

But  I  must  not  stop  to  speak  of  this.  The 
hand  of  God  is  in  all  this  pressing,  moving  tide. 
The  world  is  going  on  ;  the  Church  is  making 
progress ;  and  it  is  a  blessed  thing  for  us  all  to 
live  in  this  time  and  to  have  some  part,  however 
humble,  in  this  great  work  that  is  to  be  done  for 
the  world  and  for  our  divine  Lord  and  Master. 

A  hundred  years  to  come !  Long  before  that 
period  shall  arrive,  all  of  us  will  have  passed 
away ;  the  youngest  child  that  is  here  will  be 
numbered   with   the  dead;   but  the   Church  will 


I09 

live.  It  will  live  from  generation  to  generation, 
for  centuries  and  millenniums,  and  the  cause  of 
Christ  will  spread  over  America,  over  Africa, 
over  Asia,  till  the  whole  world  shall  be  filled  with 
the  knowledge  of  God,  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea. 

My  brethren,  I  congratulate  you  with  all  my 
heart  on  this  anniversary ;  I  rejoice  with  you, 
and  join  in  your  thanksgivings  to  God  for  all  that 
He  has  done  in  you  and  by  you  in  this  city. 
And  I  pray  for  God's  blessing  upon  you,  not  only 
in  the  happy  services  of  this  week,  but  in  all  the 
future  of  your  lives,  in  your  homes,  and  in  this 
church  where  you  commune  and  labor  together ; 
I  pray  that  as  you  increase  in  years  you  may 
increase  in  all  wisdom  and  virtue,  abounding  in 
every  good  work ;  and  thus  doing,  as  individuals 
and  as  a  church,  more  and  more  for  the  honor  of 
your  Lord  and  for  the  salvation  of  the  world. 


ADDRESS 


REV.  R.  R.  BOOTH,  D.  D. 


:EAR  friends  :  I  feel  like  Joseph's 
jbrethren,  in  respect  to  penitence,  as 
I  stand  here  to-night.  They  said, 
when  they  were  in  trying  circum- 
stances in  the  matter  of  Joseph,  that  they  remem- 
bered their  misdeeds  that  day;  and  I  am  in  a 
measure  afflicted  and  humiliated  as  I  stand  before 
you,  to  realize  that  really  this  is  the  first  time 
that  I  have  ever  stood  in  this  pulpit,  or  looked 
into  the  face  of  this  noble  congregation.  I  don't 
know  how  it  has  come  to  pass,  certainly  not  in 
the  years  gone  by  for  the  lack  of  cordial  invita- 


Ill 


tions, — several,  at  least,  from  your  pastor, — but  so 
it  was.  And  I  feel  especially  grateful  and  gratified 
for  the  welcome  given  to  me  in  such  kind  words, 
as  I  now  stand  in  this  beautiful  edifice,  and  be- 
hold so  many  evidences  of  the  prosperity  of  the 
church,  aside  from  this  centennial  anniversary. 
This  is  indeed,  I  believe,  a  unique  occasion  in 
the  history  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches  in  our 
city.  Our  brother.  Dr.  Chambers,  tells  me,  with 
that  sense  of  self-possession  which  becomes  a 
son  of  the  Reformed  Church,  that  they  have 
celebrated  their  quarter -millennial  —  their  two 
hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary.  But  we  Pres- 
byterians have  never  aspired  to  any  such  lon- 
gevity as  that;  at  least,  we  are  very  far  from 
having  attained  it.  I  do  not  remember  that  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  which  is  the  mother 
of  us  all,  celebrated  the  event  when  it  reached 
its  centennial  year.  What  has  become  of  the 
Second  and  the  Third  Churches,  I  don't  know  ;  it 
has  been  a  matter  of  inquiry  among  us  here  upon 
the  platform.  The  surmise  is,  that  the  Second 
Church  is  that  which  is  known  as  the  "  Brick 
Church,"  and  the  Third  is  the  Scotch  Church  in 
Fourteenth  street.  Whether  they  have  observed 
a  centenary,  I  don't  know.  But  I  think  you  have 
done  well  on  this  occasion  in  bringing  to  remem- 
brance the  years  gone  by :  '*  I  have  thought  of 
Thy  loving-kindness,  O  God,"  said  the  psalmist, 


112 


"  in  the  midst  of  Thy  Temple."  And  I  especially 
realize  the  gladness  and  the  interest  of  this 
occasion,  in  looking  upon  two  of  the  forms  that 
are  present  with  us  to-night,  who  have,  doubt- 
less, been  present  on  former  occasions  during  the 
week — our  honored  friend.  Dr.  Thomson,  who 
was  here  when  I  came  into  this  neighborhood 
many,  many  years  ago,  and  who  has  not  only 
favored  his  own  former  congregation,  but  has 
shed  a  benignant  light  upon  all  his  ministerial 
brethren  of  New- York,  in  coming  across  the  sea 
from  "old  Scotland"  to  see  us  all  again.  May 
he  return  in  health  and  in  prosperity,  and  may  his 
days  be  long  and  happy  in  the  dear  old  mother- 
land which  every  Presbyterian  loves.  And  we 
are  happy,  also,  in  the  presence  of  our  beloved 
brother,  Dr.  Spaulding,  whose  face  is  always 
radiant  with  a  benediction  for  those  who  love 
the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  whose  songs,  as  you 
have  sung  them  here,  make  one  wonder  at  the 
fertility  and  at  the  readiness  with  which  his 
thought  flows  into  these  sacred  verses. 

Brethren,  it  is  a  good  thing  to  be  a  Presby- 
terian. I  don't  know  that  it  is  the  best  thing; 
the  best  of  all  is  to  be  a  Christian ;  but  to 
be  a  Presbyterian  intelligently,  with  clear  con- 
victions, is,  I  think,  the  best  form  of  being  a 
Christian  that  this  world  in  its  present  state 
knows  of. 


113 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  fact  that  I  have 
been  moving  to  and  fro  upon  the  earth,  and 
looking  at  different  peoples  and  at  different  in- 
stitutions in  many  lands.  I  hope  I  have  been 
learning  from  my  experience  in  these  past  two 
and  a  half  years,  as  I  had  learned,  somewhat 
before,  to  exercise  a  spirit  of  charity  toward 
those  who  differed  from  me.  The  Christian 
world  is  full  of  many  differing  churches.  When 
we  look  at  our  own  church  and  our  own  system, 
we  should  value  ourselves  overmuch,  if  we 
should  imagine  that  we  were  the  whole  or  that 
we  were  a  very  large  part  of  the  whole ;  and 
one  must  in  all  Christian  charity  realize  in  the 
presence  of  those  churches  of  the  East,  and  in 
those  churches  of  southern  Europe,  where  there 
is  such  devotion,  such  self-sacrifice,  such  earnest 
religious  zeal  according  to  their  light,  that  we 
should  do  ourselves  and  our  Master  wrong  if 
we  should  assume  to  be  the  only  church.  And 
yet  that  we  are  a  church  of  which  we  need  not 
be  ashamed  is  certainly  true.  Some  four  or  five 
weeks  ago,  I  had  the  opportunity  of  being  pres- 
ent in  the  city  of  Edinburgh  and  joining  in  the 
worship  of  some  of  the  congregations,  and  in 
visiting  again,  not  for  the  second  or  the  third 
time,  some  of  those  historic  spots.  I  don't  know 
that  I  have  felt  more  proud  of  our  Presbyterian 
record  than  when  I  stood  in  Greyfriar's  Church- 
15 


114 

yard  and  looked  upon  the  graves  of  the  mar- 
tyred Scotch  ministers  and  noblemen  who,  to  the 
number  of  one  hundred  and  fifty,  lie  buried  in  an 
inconspicuous  corner,  the  ground  that  holds  their 
honored  remains  marked  only  by  a  monument 
of  recent  erection,  telling  the  story  of  their  life 
and  of  their  death,  and  how  they  perished  in  the 
strife  for  the  Church  of  God,  and  for  his  cove- 
nant, under  the  blue  Presbyterian  flag.  I  feel 
that  in  all  our  history  as  a  church  we  have  much 
to  rejoice  over  and  to  be  proud  of,  and  especially 
in  our  connection  with  the  dear  Scottish  breth- 
ren. My  heart  has  always  warmed  toward  the 
Scottish  men  wherever  I  have  found  them.  It 
was  my  privilege  during  this  winter  to  act  as  a 
kind  of  minister  at  intervals  to  a  section  of  the 
Scottish  Presbyterian  nation  that  was  assembled 
for  warlike  purposes  in  the  city  of  Cairo,  assist- 
ing, by  a  curious  coincidence,  as  it  has  been 
suggested  to  me  by  Dr.  Thomson,  one  of  the 
boys  from  his  Scottish  parish,  Rev.  Mr.  Robert- 
son, who  is  the  chaplain  of  the  "  Black  Watch,"  or 
42d  Highlanders.  And  there  they  gathered,  in 
our  chapel  services  in  Cairo,  Sabbath  after  Sab- 
bath, and  even  during  the  week,  those  stalwart 
Scottish  soldiers,  clad  in  the  Highland  costume ; 
and  one  felt  in  looking  at  their  faces  that  any 
cause  that  was  intrusted  to  their  hands  was  safe 
as  far  as  human  courage  could  make  it  so,  and  all 


115 

the  safer  because  they  were  so  largely  men  of 
God. 

One's  mind  during  the  past  winter  in  that 
part  of  the  world  to  which  I  have  alluded  has 
been  very  much  turned  to  Scottish  interests, 
not  only  by  the  regiments,  but  also  by  the 
number  of  noble  men  who  have  played  their 
part,  and  many  of  whom  have  fallen  a  sacrifice 
in  that  ill-fated  expedition  in  the  Soudan.  How 
many  of  them  I  saw  during  the  early  months 
of  this  year  passing  southward  toward  the 
Soudan  or  the  Red  Sea — noble  men,  beginning 
with  Gordon,  the  leader,  and  the  hero  of  Khar- 
toum. I  was  sitting  one  evening  in  the 
house  of  an  English  officer  in  the  Khedive's 
service,  when  this  last  letter  of  General  Gordon 
was  placed  in  my  hands.  I  don't  know  that  it 
has  ever  been  made  public — the  last  lines  that 
fell  from  his  pen : 

"  My  Dear  Watson  :  The  game  is  up,  and  I  write 
to  make  my  adieus  to  yourself  and  to  your  wife  and  to 
some  other  friends.  This  would  not  have  happened,  if  it 
does  happen,  if  our  people  had  taken  pains  to  let  me  know 
of  their  plans,  and  had  been  a  little  earlier.  As  it  now 
seems,  the  catastrophe  cannot  be  delayed  longer  than 
ten  or  twelve  days.     But  this  is  spilt  milk.     Good-bye." 

This  is  the  last  word  that  came  to  us  from 
that  Scottish  Presbyterian,  Gordon,  who  has 
been    worthy    of   his   clan    and   worthy    of    his 


ii6 

record.  But  now  our  minds  turn  back  to  a 
hundred  years  ago,  when  this  church  was  founded 
on  its  narrow  foundations.  How  great  the 
change  since  then  !  George  the  Third  was  on 
the  throne  of  England.  Napoleon  Bonaparte, 
a  young  lieutenant  in  Paris,  was  playing  chess 
on  the  table  that  still  stands,  with  the  inscrip- 
tion recording  the  fact,  in  the  Cafe  de  la  Regime. 
All  Europe  was  in  the  night  of  the  middle  ages. 
Practically,  the  Holy  Inquisition  was  in  full 
sway  in  Spain  and  in  Rome,  and  the  ambassa- 
dors of  the  European  courts,  as  they  presented 
themselves  at  the  Sublime  Porte,  went  humbly 
upon  their  knees  and  kissed  the  dirt,  as  became 
envoys  from  an  almost  unknown  world.  How 
changed  these  things  are  at  the  present  day ! 
Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  Turkish  Empire, 
and  to  American  enterprise  in  connection  with 
it.  It  is  an  illustration,  and  therefore  I  speak 
of  it,  of  what  is  accomplished  sometimes  by  the 
influence  of  a  single  church,  moving  through  a 
variety  of  avenues,  working  out  results  which 
at  the  time  of  their  inception  are  often  hard  to 
understand  or  to  anticipate.  On  the  banks  of 
the  Bosphorus  there  stands  an  institution  that 
bears  the  name  of  Robert  College,  the  name  of 
a  not  now  living,  but  once  honored  merchant 
of  this  city,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Ses- 
sion   in    the    Brainerd    Church,    a   church   that 


117 

was  founded  long  after  this  church  took  its 
rise.  Traveling  in  the  East  for  purposes  of 
recreation,  his  mind  was  struck  with  the  need 
of  education,  as  well  as  missionary  effort  and 
instruction,  in  the  Turkish  Empire.  The  out- 
come of  his  interest  was  the  founding  of  Robert 
College,  which  it  was  intended  should  furnish 
missionaries  and  ministers  from  the  native  pop- 
ulation. Robert  College  was  founded  some 
twenty  years  ago,  and  among  the  first  students 
who  came  to  it  was  a  company  whose  presence 
and  whose  interest  in  the  institution  was  entirely 
unexpected, — a  company  of  Bulgarian  youth, 
whose  language  at  that  time  was  strange  to  the 
missionaries,  and  whose  appearance  was  most 
uncouth,  betokening  social  degradation  and  the 
lack  of  cultivated  manners.  It  so  turned  out, 
in  the  providence  of  God,  that  Robert  College, 
which  was  intended  especially  for  the  education 
of  Greek  and  Turkish  youth,  became  the  cen- 
ter of  a  Bulgarian  educational  system,  which  in 
the  course  of  time  sent  back  hundreds  and  hun- 
dreds of  Bulgarian  young  men  into  that  province, 
who  gradually  entered  into  prominent  places, 
first  as  school-masters,  then  as  teachers,  and 
then,  by  their  administrative  skill,  as  prefects 
and  sub-prefects  in  the  State  under  the  Turkish 
establishment.  These  men  were  educated  in 
Protestant  evangelical  ideas,  and  from  the  Amer- 


ii8 

ican  social  and  political  point  of  view.  Now 
the  presence  of  these  men  in  Bulgaria  gradually 
caused  the  uplifting  of  the  people  to  a  higher 
standard  of  education  and  to  a  larger  estimate 
of  that  which  was  necessary  for  the  liberty  and 
well-being  of  the  people.  As  the  result  of 
this  restlessness  came  the  terrible  massacres 
of  which  you  all  have  heard.  Out  of  these 
massacres  came  the  intervention  of  Russia, 
and  the  Turko- Russian  war,  the  issue  of  which 
was  the  practical  sundering  of  the  Turkish 
Empire,  the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of 
Servia  and  the  kingdom  of  Roumania,  and  the 
virtual  enfranchisement  of  Bulgaria,  which  has 
now  been  consummated  by  the  addition  of  the 
southern  section,  the  province  of  Roumelia,  which 
the  treaty  of  Berlin  took  away.  Nothing  is  more 
certain,  in  the  line  of  direct  result  following 
cause,  than  that  the  establishment  of  Robert 
College  and  the  gifts  of  Christopher  Robert,  a 
noble  member  of  a  Presbyterian  Session  in 
this  city,  led  to  the  breaking  up,  so  far  as  it 
has  been  accomplished,  of  the  Turkish  Empire, 
and  the  beginning  of  a  new  day  throughout  the 
East.  It  is  worth  while  for  a  minister  to  have 
a  well-trained  Session,  and  to  give  it  scope, 
and  in  our  Presbyterian  system  a  faithful  elder, 
blessed  with  means  and  heart,  may  be  expected 
to  devise  great  things  for  the  Kingdom  of  God. 


119 

I  give  you  another  illustration.  As  one 
travels  farther  East,  he  comes  to  that  most 
beautiful  of  Oriental  cities  for  situation,  the 
city  of  Beirut,  a  city  of  a  hundred  thousand 
people,  lying  on  the  slopes  of  Lebanon,  and 
largely  civilized,  according  to  our  American  con- 
ception of  civilization ;  and  there,  on  one  of  the 
heights  that  overlook  the  sea,  stands  a  college, 
not  a  whit  inferior  to  Robert  College  in  its 
equipment,  in  the  staff  of  instructors,  and  in  all 
those  influences  that  work  upon  a  nation's  life. 
That  college,  too,  was  founded  by  another 
member  of  the  Session  of  that  same  Brainerd 
Church,  in  association  with  other  men.  And 
so,  from  that  single  point  of  view,  from  the 
developed  life  of  the  single  church  of  which  I 
speak,  there  have  arisen  two  institutions  that 
under  God  are  doing  more  to  change  the  face 
of  that  dark  Eastern  world  than  all  the  diplo- 
macy of  Europe  put  together.  I  saw  a  letter 
the  other  day  from  Dr.  Washburne,  of  Robert 
College,  describing  a  visit  which  he  was  making, 
in  a  quiet  way,  into  Bulgaria  just  before  the 
recent  outbreak,  when  the  people  thronged  about 
him  and  followed  him  from  town  to  town,  and 
at  last  took  the  horses  from  his  carriage  and 
drew  him  in  triumph  through  the  streets ;  so 
heartily  did  they  recognize  what  they  owed  to 
that  man,  and  to  the  institution  which    he  rep- 


I20 

resented,  out  of  which  had  come  their  liberties 
and  their  hopes. 

Brethren,  the  greatest  thing  in  this  world, 
as  one  may  look  upon  it  with  a  sympathetic 
Christian  eye,  is  the  Church  of  Christ,  in  its 
onward,  its  aggressive  movement  to  overcome 
the  world  for  the  Redeemer.  The  church  that 
lives  a  hundred  years,  and  holds  its  own,  and 
does  a  work  that  reaches  far  away  beyond  its 
own  circumference,  has  great  cause  to  thank 
God,  and  to  take  courage  for  the  hundred  years 
to  come.  We  have  been  living  in  the  grandest 
century  of  the  six  thousand  years  or  more  of 
our  world's  history ;  and  in  the  life  of  those 
who  have  made  the  successive  generations  of 
this  church,  all  the  great  institutions  that  are 
changing  the  face  of  society  and  uplifting  the 
world  have  been  born.  Less  than  a  hundred 
years  ago,  Carey  and  his  associates  went  to 
India  —  Dr.  Taylor  asks  me  not  to  steal  his 
thunder;  but  he  is  a  busy  man,  and  I  am  an 
idle  man,  and  I  must  take  what  comes  to  me 
just  as  it  occurs.  Less  than  a  hundred  years 
ago,  Carey  and  his  associates  went  to  India, 
and  Sidney  Smith  (that  witty  English  prelate) 
said  that  "  they  were  a  handful  of  maniacs  go- 
ing out  to  convert  a  hundred  millions  of  men." 
It  is  true  they  have  not  all  been  converted,  but 
the  civilization   that  has   reached   beyond  these 


121 

missionary  efforts  is  a  product  of  which  the 
thoughtful  Christian  man  must  constantly  take 
cognizance.  Less  than  a  hundred  years  ago, 
the  young  men  of  Williams  College  gathered 
around  the  haystack  under  which  they  found 
shelter  in  a  thunder-storm,  and  planned  the 
great  American  missionary  enterprise.  Less 
than  a  hundred  years  ago,  Dr.  Taylor  and 
brethren,  of  Scotland,  the  burghers  of  Inver- 
ness, coming  together  for  a  friendly  talk,  said 
one  to  another,  that  they  had  heard  of  a  town 
named  Dingwell,  away  up  in  the  mud  and  among 
the  rocks,  fifteen  miles  to  the  north  of  them, 
and  sent  out  a  deputation  to  search  it  out.  Less 
than  a  hundred  years  ago,  the  world  was  large 
because  communication  was  so  difficult  and 
long ;  now  the  world  is  small ;  and,  dear  breth- 
ren and  friends,  the  omnipresent  person  in  the 
world  is  Jesus  Christ,  our  King,  moving  on  in 
the  mighty  path  of  His  salvation.  All  the  ad- 
vantages of  our  time  are  associated  in  some 
way  with  the  uplifting  and  civilizing  and  sanc- 
tifying work  of  His  dear  church ;  and  those 
whose  hearts  are  united  unto  Him  and  to  His 
blessed  work,  while  they  cannot  trace  the  di- 
verging and  extending  lines  of  the  influence 
that  they  put  forth,  may  be  sure  that  He  who 
reigns  above  will  use  these  influences,  if  they 
are  put  forth  in  loyalty  to  Him,  so  that  the  little 
i6 


122 


one  shall  become  a  thousand,  and  the  small  one 
as  a  strong  nation. 

Dear  friends,  I  had  many  things  to  say,  but 
Dr.  Taylor's  interruption  shows  me  how  eager 
he  is  to  get  to  his  feet  and  speak.  On  occa- 
sions like  this  he  is  irrepressible,  and  I  shall 
not  long  restrain  him. 

The  pastor  asks  me  to  speak  of  a  single  in- 
cident, or  of  a  single  phase  that  presents  itself 
to  one  who  travels  in  the  northern  part  of  Italy. 
God's  hidden  ones  are  spoken  of  in  the  Bible. 
Some  of  us  discovered  a  year  or  two  ago,  just 
where  the  northern  part  of  Italy  meets  the 
southern  part  of  Switzerland,  a  half  a  dozen 
churches  that  had  been  buried  for  two  hundred 
and  fifty  years  in  isolation  because  there  were 
no  roads,  no  communication,  no  travel.  They 
were  churches  of  the  Reformation,  that  had 
been  formed  in  the  Presbyterian  order,  and  they 
had  lived  in  loneliness,  and  maintained  their 
faith  and  order  until  they  were  excavated  by  the 
visitation  of  some  who  came  on  the  roads  while 
civil-engineering,  and  they  have  begun  to  live  a 
new  life,  and  are  doing  good  things  in  missionary 
effort  all  over  that  region.  And  so,  if  I  had  time, 
I  might  speak  to  you  of  that  great  realm  of 
Italy,  next  to  Great  Britain  and  our  own,  the 
most  progressive  land,  I  think,  on  earth,  where 
the  old  Waldensian  Church,  one  of  the  sister 
churches   of  the   Reformation,   is   girding   itself 


123 

anew  with  power  and  reaching  far  and  wide  with 
wondrous  evangelical  efforts.  But  I  must  tell 
you  of  a  single  thing,  in  the  way  of  a  mere  inci- 
dent, as  indicating  what  a  sympathetic  look  or 
word  sometimes  accomplishes.  I  happened,  a  few 
months  ago,  to  be  passing  through  Verona,  a  city 
lying  between  Valencia  and  Milan,  on  the  Sab- 
bath day,  and  it  occurred  to  me  to  visit  the 
Waldensian  Church,  to  attend  the  church  and 
speak  with  the  people.  The  pastor,  at  the  close 
of  the  service,  said  to  me,  when  I  told  him  I  was 
a  Presbyterian  minister  from  New-York,  and  my 
wife  was  a  Presbyterian  Church  member :  "  I 
have  heard  of  such  persons  ;  I  have  heard  of 
Presbyterian  ministers  and  members  ;  but  I  never 
saw  one  in  my  life  before."  And  they  were  pass- 
ing through  Verona  by  hundreds  and  almost  by 
thousands  every  year.  And  he,  in  the  sense  of 
contact  with  a  living  embodiment  of  something 
Presbyterian  from  the  other  side,  seemed  to  take 
upon  himself  a  new  stature,  and  his  face  shone  with 
a  new  joy,  and  so,  brethren,  in  a  thousand  ways, 
a  sympathetic  word  is  a  word  that  tells  for  God. 

The  continuance  of  the  church  on  earth  in 
itself  is  a  perpetual  shining  of  a  light  that  spreads 
out  into  the  darkness.  May  your  light  long  con- 
tinue to  shine,  not  as  in  the  past,  but  brighter 
and  brighter,  to  the  perfect  day ;  and  may  un- 
numbered benedictions  rest  upon  you,  and  upon 
your  beloved  pastor,  always. 


Address 


Rev.  W.  m.  Taylor,  d.  d,  ll  d. 


AM  always  glad  to  be  neighborly,  for 
I  have  good  neighbors  about  me,  and 
"  a  man  that  hath  friends  must  show 
himself  friendly." 
This  church  has  been  a  good  neighbor  to  me. 
In  the  days  of  my  friend,  the  predecessor  of  your 
beloved  pastor,  when  there  was  no  roof  over  our 
heads  on  the  opposite  corner,  you  opened  your 
door  for  us,  and  we  had  evening  service  here,  for, 
I  think,  two  or  three  months.  That  was  a  neigh- 
borly act  that  I  have  never  forgotten  and  never 
can  forget.     And  I  feel  that  anything  that  I  can 


125 

do  for  this  church  and  for  its  pastor  is  little  in 
comparison  to  that  great  favor  which  was  ren- 
dered by  the  church  here  to  us  in  our  circum- 
stances of  need.  It  has  been  my  good  fortune 
to  live  on  terms  of  brotherhood  and  love  with  all 
my  brethren  here.  I  think  never  a  man,  coming 
as  I  did  among  entire  strangers,  received  such  a 
royal  welcome  from  his  brethren  in  the  ministry 
as  I  did.  And  even  if  some  of  them  were  a  little 
inclined  to  be  offish,  they  by  and  by  turned  out 
to  be  my  most  affectionate  friends.  So  that  I 
should  be  one  of  the  most  ungrateful  of  men  if  I 
did  not  willingly  put  myself  about,  if  that  were 
needed,  to  show  my  brotherhood  to  those  who 
took  me  by  the  hand  when  I  was  an  utter  stranger 
in  this  city  and  this  land,  and  came  to  a  congre- 
gation, only  one  or  two  members  of  which  had 
ever  seen  me  in  the  flesh  until  I  stood  in  their 
pulpit.  I  shudder  sometimes  when  I  think  what 
I  did  then.  As  I  said  to  a  brother  of  mine  to- 
day, nothing  but  the  firmest  persuasion,  that  in 
taking  the  step  which  I  then  took  I  was  follow- 
ing the  clearest  command  of  my  Master,  would 
have  sustained  me  in  the  sacrifices  which  I  made 
and  the  experiences  through  which  I  passed. 
When  I  was  half-way  across  the  Atlantic,  it 
dawned  upon  me  that  I  had  burned  the  boats  be- 
hind me,  and  that  I  was  going  to  a  place  I  did 
not  know.     Who  was  to  meet  me  on  the  wharf, 


126 

I  could  not  tell,  I  never  had  seen  them  ;  and  if 
it  had  not  been  for  one  little  sentence  of  the  book 
of  Genesis,  that  came  to  me,  as  I  have  no  doubt 
now,  by  the  suggestion  of  God's  Spirit,  I  do  not 
know  what  I  should  have  done.  That  sentence 
was :  "  I  being  in  the  way,  the  Lord  led  me." 
That  has  held  me  all  these  years.  That  keeps 
me  yet ;  and  the  welcome  which  I  got,  not  only 
from  my  own  people,  but  from  the  brethren  of  the 
city  generally,  makes  me  think  that  I  should  be 
the  most  ungrateful  of  men,  if  I  did  not  on  all 
occasions,  whenever  it  is  possible,  hold  myself 
at  their  disposal  to  render  them  whatever  service 
they  may  require.  Some  people  say  that  it  is 
easier  to  weep  with  them  that  weep  than  to  re- 
joice with  them  that  rejoice.  I  question  whether 
that  is  true  in  my  case.  I  am  sure  that  my  heart 
to-night  is  full  of  joy  and  gratitude  for  you,  when 
in  the  retrospect  of  a  hundred  years  you  have 
come  here  to  raise  your  Ebenezer  as  a  Christian 
church,  and  to  say :  "  Hitherto  the  Lord  hath 
helped  us." 

Now  in  settling  what  I  should  speak  about 
to-night  I  thought  it  would  be  well  just  to  look 
at  two  or  three  things  in  which  we  have  made 
extraordinary  progress  in  the  Christian  church 
during  the  last  hundred  years.  One  of  these 
was  that  to  which  my  brother.  Dr.  Booth,  was 
referring  when    I   rather  improperly  interrupted 


127 

him.  I  mean  activity  in  the  cause  of  foreign 
missions.  Some  ninety  years  ago,  I  think  in 
the  year  1796,  there  was  a  famous  debate  on 
missions  in  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland.  Perhaps  some  of  you  may  be 
familiar  with  the  incidents  and  individuals  of 
that  discussion,  as  they  have  been  described  by 
the  master  hand  of  Hugh  Miller,  in  the  sketch 
which  has  been  preserved  in  one  of  the  volumes 
of  his  collected  works.  It  is  rather  singular 
reading  in  these  days.  Two  overtures  came 
up — I  need  not  explain  to  a  Presbyterian  Church 
what  an  overture  is — from  different  Synods, 
one  asking  the  Assembly  in  general  terms  to 
give  its  approval  of  the  work  of  foreign  missions, 
and  the  other  asking  the  Assembly  to  do  some- 
thing specific  in  entering  upon  a  foreign  mission 
of  its  own.  These  overtures  were  brought 
before  the  Assembly  in  due  form,  and  the  adop- 
tion of  one  of  them  was  moved  by  a  man 
whose  name  comes  into  prominence  in  Robert 
Burns's  poems,  not  entirely  to  his  credit,  for  in 
after-life  he  did  not  shine  very  brightly.  He 
was  there  in  the  Assembly  as  an  elder ;  his 
name  was  Robert  Heron.  The  motion  was 
seconded  by  the  Reverend  Dr.  John  Erskine, 
who  was  prevented,  however,  at  that  time  from 
making  his  speech  by  some  form  of  the  House  ; 
and  the  rejection  of  the  overture  was  moved  by 


128 

no  less  a  person  than  Dr.  George  Hill,  the 
Professor  of  Divinity  in  St.  Andrew's,  and  the 
Principal  of  St.  Andrew's  University,  whose 
"  Lectures  on  Theology  "  was  one  of  the  text- 
books of  Chalmers  at  a  later  day  in  his  class. 
Even  such  a  man  as  Hill,  who  was  the  leader 
of  the  Moderate  party  of  the  house  at  that  time, 
moved  the  rejection  of  the  overture,  and  Hamil- 
ton of  Gladsmuir  seconded  its  rejection.  After 
they  had  said  some  very  strong  things  about 
the  proposals, — had,  in  fact,  called  them  the 
schemes  of  hare-brained  enthusiasts,  and  the 
most  absurd  things  that  had  ever  been  put  upon 
the  table  of  the  house, — Erskine  rose.  There 
was  a  Bible  on  the  desk  in  front  of  the  Mode- 
rator, as  there  always  is  at  a  meeting  of  the 
General  Assembly  in  Scotland,  and  he  said, 
"  Moderator,  rax  me  that  Bible  " ;  and,  with  the 
Bible  open,  he  began  to  expound  to  them  the 
duty  of  entering  on  the  missionary  enterprise. 
But  such  was  the  weight  of  prejudice  and  igno- 
rance in  that  Assembly,  that — it  is  hardly 
possible  to  believe  it  now — the  overtures  were 
rejected  by  a  most  overwhelming  majority.  And 
that  was  not  quite  a  hundred  years  ago. 

As  I  have  just  spoken  of  John  Erskine,  let  me 
say  that  he  was  the  colleague  of  Robertson  the 
historian,  who  was  himself  a  very  strong  Mode- 
rate.   The  colleague,  however,  was  a  man  of  a  dif- 


129 

ferent  type,  and  you  will  find  a  most  admirable  de- 
scription of  him  given  by  Walter  Scott  in  his  novel 
of  "  Guy  Mannering."  But  more  to  the  present 
purpose,  and  more  interesting  to  us  on  this  side 
of  the  Atlantic  now,  is  the  fact  that  this  John  Ers- 
kine  was  the  first  Scotchman  who  lifted  up  his 
voice  In  indignant  protest  against  the  conduct  of 
the  British  government  toward  these  American 
colonies ;  and  his  pamphlet,  entitled  "  Ought  we 
to  go  to  War  with  our  American  Brethren  ? "  is  a 
production  of  very  great  power,  filled,  too,  with 
scathing  indignation,  and  not  without  its  interest 
even  in  the  present  day.  He  had  good  reason  to 
love  these  American  colonies,  for  he  was  a  close 
friend  and  constant  correspondent  of  Jonathan 
Edwards,  of  New  England ;  and  in  the  memoir 
of  that  great  man  you  will  find  that  some  of  the 
best  letters  which  it  contains  are  those  which  he 
wrote  to  and  those  which  he  received  from  John 
Erskine.  Now,  only  think,  that  was  but  about 
ninety  years  ago.  Since  then,  what  has  Scotland 
done  in  the  great  missionary  cause  ?  I  recall,  for 
example,  the  names  of  Morrison  and  Legge,  who 
went  out  to  China  in  connection  with  the  London 
Missionary  Society ;  those  of  Moffate  and  Living- 
stone, who  went  to  Africa  in  connection  with  the 
same  society,  and  that  of  Duff,  who  went  out 
some  thirty  or  forty  years  after  from  the  very 
Church  of  Scotland  in  the  Assembly  of  which  that 
17 


I30 

great  debate  was  held.  And  as  I  repeat  those 
names,  and  bring  up  before  you  all  that  is  asso- 
ciated with  them,  you  will  understand  what  im- 
mense progress  we  have  made  in  this  matter  of 
Christian  missions  during  these  hundred  years.  As 
Dr.  Booth  has  said,  it  is  only  seventy-five  years 
since  the  American  Board  was  formed, —  we  were 
holding  its  seventy-fifth  anniversary  just  a  few 
days  ago  in  Boston, —  and  to-day  its  missionaries 
are  all  over  the  world.  There  are  besides,  Eng- 
lish and  Scottish  missionaries  in  Japan,  China,  In- 
dia, South  Africa,  Central  Africa,  Western  Africa, 
in  the  West  India  Islands,  all  along  down  the 
eastern  coast  of  South  America,  and  up  the  west- 
ern coast.  Now,  that  is  something  to  be  thankful 
for,  proving,  as  it  does,  that  we  are  living  in  one 
of  the  greatest  and  most  progressive  of  the  cent- 
uries that  the  world  has  seen  since  the  days  of  the 
apostles. 

But  not  only  in  connection  with  foreign  mis- 
sions have  we  seen  such  wonderful  advance.  Equal 
progress  is  conspicuous  in  the  activity  of  the 
churches  at  home.  In  the  memorable  debate  to 
which  I  have  referred,  there  was  one  brother  —  I 
am  ashamed  to  say  his  name  was  Dr.  William 
Taylor,  of  Glasgow  —  who  stood  up  and  said, 
"  We  cannot  entertain  this  proposition,  because 
there  are  heathen  enough  at  home  to  work  for, 
and  it  will  be  time  enough  for  us  to  go  abroad 


131 

when  we  have  evangelized  those  at  our  own 
doors."  Well,  we  have  heard  that  a  great  many 
times  since  then,  but  if  that  were  a  valid  excuse 
for  neglecting  foreign  missions,  then  surely,  be- 
fore the  foreign  missionary  enterprise  was  entered 
upon,  we  might  expect  to  find  a  great  deal  of 
activity  at  home  ;  and  that  the  churches  were  ear- 
nestly at  work  for  the  elevation  and  evangelization 
of  those  around  them.  But  was  that  so  ?  Go  back 
a  hundred  years  :  Were  there  any  Sunday-schools 
then  ?  Perhaps  you  might  have  found  a  few,  for 
the  centenary  of  the  Sunday-school  was  observed 
in  London  and  on  this  side  of  the  water  in  1880, 
but  they  were  few  and  far  between.  Would  you 
have  found  any  city  missions?  Not  one.  City 
missions  were  the  creation  of  the  early  part  of 
this  century,  and  the  name  of  David  Naismith 
comes  into  prominence  in  connection  with  them ; 
not  the  Naismith  that  is  famous  for  the  invention 
of  the  steam-hammer,  but  he  who  went  down  into 
the  depths  of  London  slums  and  brought  up 
thence  precious  souls,  that  he  might  set  them 
as  jewels  in  the  coronet  of  the  Redeemer.  And 
from  London  the  city  mission  enterprise  spread 
over  all  the  large  cities  and  towns  of  England  and 
Scotland,  and  we  have  had  the  benefit  of  it  here 
also.  Were  there  any  Scripture-readers  in  those 
days  ?  No,  none  at  all.  Were  there  district 
visitors  ?      None.     Was   there   any   tract  distri- 


132 

bution  ?  Not  at  all.  All  these  enterprises  of 
Christian  benevolence  and  activity  which  we  now 
see  so  earnestly  at  work,  and  to  which  we  of  the 
present  generation  have  been  accustomed  almost 
from  our  earliest  days,  are  themselves  the  fruits 
of  the  revived  Christianity  of  the  churches  during 
the  last  hundred  years.  That  is  a  great  thing  to 
be  thankful  for,  and  it  becomes  us  to  see  that  we, 
on  whom  the  latter  part  of  the  century  has  fallen, 
shall  not  allow  these  works  to  fail.  We  ought  to 
pledge  ourselves  by  the  memory  of  our  fathers  to 
carry  forward  to  yet  more  glorious  triumphs  the 
enterprises  of  Christian  aggressiveness  both  at 
home  and  abroad,  with  which  so  many  of  them 
were  so  conspicuously  identified. 

Then,  again,  this  century  has  seen  wonderful 
progress  in  the  matter  of  Christian  brotherhood 
and  love.  I  think  the  previous  century  was 
perhaps,  at  least  among  Presbyterians, —  I  sup- 
pose I  may  speak  about  that,  because  I  am  two- 
thirds  of  a  Presbyterian  at  least,  perhaps  more, — 
I  think  the  last  century  among  Presbyterians 
may  be  called  a  century  of  divisions.  There  was 
a  tendency  to  magnify  points  into  principles,  and 
if  these  points  were  not  all  conceded,  an  imme- 
diate division  was  the  result.  When  my  friend 
Dr.  Booth  was  speaking  about  the  Burghers  of 
Inverness,  I  did  not  know  whether  he  meant 
simply  the  citizens  of  Inverness  or  another  kind 


^33 

of  Burghers  altogether.  I  wonder  how  many 
of  this  congregation  know  about  Burghers  and 
Anti-burghers.  There  were  five  towns  in  Scot- 
land that  had  connected  with  them  an  oath  which 
had  to  be  taken  by  every  burgess.  Every  one 
who  had  conferred  upon  him  the  freedom  of  the 
town,  as  it  was  called,  had  to  take  an  oath  which 
bound  him  to  do  nothing  that  was  contrary  to  the 
interests  of  the  Protestant  religion  as  by  law 
established  in  the  land.  Well,  you  would  not 
think  that  there  was  much  about  that  to  discuss  ; 
but  controversy  over  it  got  into  the  Secession 
Church  in  the  early  years  of  its  history,  I  sup- 
pose before  it  completed  the  first  twenty  years 
of  its  history,  and  although  there  were  very  few 
of  the  members  of  the  Secession  Church  in  these 
five  towns,  yet  the  contest  waxed  hot  and  heavy, 
whether  it  was  proper  for  one  who  was  a  member 
of  the  Secession  Church  to  take  that  oath.  Some 
said  it  was  warrantable  enough  to  take  it.  They 
said  that  it  meant  simply  that  they  were  not  to 
favor  Roman  Catholicism.  Others  said  it  was 
wrong  to  take  it,  because  it  meant  that  they  were 
not  to  do  anything  against  the  Scotch  Established 
Church,  from  which  they  had  seceded.  And  so 
the  controversy  waxed  grievous,  until  at  length 
there  was  a  division  of  the  denomination  over  it 
into  two,  and  those  of  them  who  thought  there 
was  no  harm  in  taking  the  burgess  oath  were 


134 

called  Burghers,  and  those  who  thought  it  was 
wrong  to  take  the  burgess  oath  were  called 
Anti-burghers;  and  the  conflict  was  very,  very 
bitter  between  them.  Members  of  the  same 
families,  arrayed  on  different  sides  of  the  ques- 
tion, would  be  so  bitter  that  they  would  not 
speak  to  each  other  on  the  subject.  My  grand- 
father was  on  the  one  side  and  my  grandmother 
on  the  other.  And  when  the  minister  of  my 
grandmother,  who  was  on  the  Burgher  side, 
came  to  the  house  when  my  grandfather  was  ill, 
the  sick  man  was  so  strong  and  rigid,  so  con- 
scientious in  his  adherence  to  what  he  thought  was 
principle,  that  he  would  not  consent  to  see  him, 
even  although  he  believed  him  to  be  a  Christian 
man.  And  the  children  learned  from  the  parents 
the  same  kind  of  feeling.  A  very  good  story  used 
to  be  told  in  illustration  of  that.  One  Sacramental 
Sunday  evening,  when  the  preaching  was  in  the 
open  air,  the  boys  who  were  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  crowd  were  somewhat  noisy,  and  the 
minister  of  the  church  (it  was  a  Relief  Church), 
whose  place  was  being  occupied  by  a  brother, 
thought  he  would  go  round  and  restore  quiet. 
As  he  approached  the  disturbers  of  the  peace, 
the  boys  took  to  their  heels,  but  one  poor  fellow 
fell,  and  as  the  minister  caught  hold  of  him,  the 
other  mischievous  fellows,  standing  at  a  safe 
distance,    cried   out :    "  Lick   him  weel,    sir ;   his 


135 

fayther's  an  Anti-burgher."  That  story  well  illus- 
trates the  temper  of  the  time,  and  will  help  you 
to  understand  what  I  mean  when  I  say  that 
Presbyterians  a  hundred  years  ago  were  a  great 
deal  more  given  to  breaking  up  into  fragments 
over  little  points  than  they  were  to  coming  to- 
gether. But  now  for  the  last  sixty-five  years 
or  so  the  tide  has  turned,  and  the  wave  is  flow- 
ing in  the  direction  of  brotherhood  and  love  and 
union.  Those  two  fractions,  as  we  may  call  them, 
of  the  Secession  Church  came  together  in  the  year 
1820,  and  the  union  came  about  because  they 
had  got  to  praying  together,  first,  in  little  fellow- 
ship prayer-meetings.  Then,  in  the  year  1847, 
the  Relief  Church  went  in  and  formed  with  them 
what  is  now  in  Scotland  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church.  And  the  same  thing  has  been  going  on 
elsewhere.  We  have  had  a  rising  tide  of  Chris- 
tian union  during  all  these  years,  and  a  very 
blessed  thing  it  is  ;  and  very  much  of  it  has  been 
the  result  of  the  activity  of  Christian  churches 
of  all  denominations  in  foreign  missions  and 
in  home  effort.  Almost  all  the  Presbyterian 
Churches  and  the  Congregational  Board  have 
missionaries  now  in  India;  many  of  them,  or  most 
of  them,  have  missionaries  in  Japan  and  China 
and  elsewhere.  Those  brethren  out  there  in  the 
front,  among  the  heathen,  could  not  help  coming 
close   together.     It   is  a  very  close  communion 


136 

out  there,  but  It  is  not  a  close  communion  that 
excludes  ;  it  is  a  close  communion  that  embraces, 
because  the  heathen  are  round  about  them ;  and 
coming  thus  into  close  communion  and  close 
cooperation  with  each  other,  they  learned  thereby 
the  good  that  is  in  each  other.  If  you  go  to 
Europe,  and  a  person  who  lives  in  the  same 
street  with  you,  to  whom  you  have  never  spoken 
before,  and  who  has  never  spoken  to  you  before, 
should  see  you  walking  in  the  streets  of  London, 
I  will  venture  to  say  that  he  would  make  straight 
for  you,  and  say,  "  How  do  you  do  ?  What  are 
you  doing  here  ?  "  because  distance  from  home 
and  isolation  has  led  you  to  appreciate  each 
other.  I  remember  once  going  into  the  Lang- 
ham  Hotel  in  London,  when  a  man  came  up  to 
me  and  said,  "  Dr.  Taylor,  how  do  you  do  ?  I 
am  glad  to  see  you.  I  have  seen  your  wife  since 
you  did."  "  Yes,  but  I  do  not  know  you." 
"Why,"  said  he,  "I  live  in  your  street.  I  have 
never  spoken  to  you  before,  but  I  could  not  well  let 
you  go  past  here."  Well,  it  was  just  similar  with 
our  missionaries  of  different  denominations  in  the 
high  places  of  foreign  heathenism.  There  they 
were  thrown  together  and  learned  to  love  each 
other,  and  the  influence  of  that  came  home  and 
the  brethren  here  began  to  look  into  each  other's 
faces  and  into  each  other's  hearts,  and  the  Evan- 
gelical Alliance  was  the  result.     The  same  thing 


137 

is  true  in  regard  to  our  cooperation  at  home. 
Brethren  of  all  denominations  sit  together  on  the 
committees  of  the  Tract  Society,  and  the  Bible 
Society,  and  the  City  Mission  Society,  and  they 
cannot  meet  there  without  seeing  the  good  that 
is  in  each  other ;  and  thus  there  has  been  during 
these  last  eighty  years  a  very  great  increase  in 
the  spirit  of  Christian  union.  We  may  not  have 
gone  into  each  other's  churches  and  said,  this  is 
just  as  good  as  my  own  ;  but  we  have  conversed 
with  each  other  over  the  partition  walls,  and  the 
partition  walls  are  not  nearly  so  high  now  as 
they  were  years  ago.  By  and  by,  perhaps,  they 
may  be  lower  still;  but,  at  any  rate,  it  is  a  great 
thing  to  say  that  the  churches,  as  a  whole,  are 
growing  in  the  spirit  which  the  Redeemer  prayed 
for  when  He  said :  "  That  they  all  may  be  one, 
as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  Thee ;  that 
they  all  may  be  one  in  us." 

And  then  (this  is  the  last  thing  that  I  will 
refer  to)  we  have  come  to  see  more  clearly,  dur- 
ing these  hundred  years,  the  difference  between 
essentials  and  non-essentials  in  religious  matters. 
That  is  just  stating  in  another  way  what  I  have 
already  said,  but  it  is  important  enough  to  be 
emphasized.  Now  I  don't  see  it,  but  I  know 
it  is  up  there  [pointing  to  the  organ].  A  hun- 
dred years  ago  that  would  not  have  been  there, 
and  much  less  than  a  hundred  years  ago  the 
i8 


138 

attempt  to  put  it  there  would  have  been  met  by 
a  storm  of  opposition.  But  we  have  now  come 
more  than  before  to  regard  it  as  not  a  matter 
of  great  moment.  We  have  come  to  see  that  the 
one  great  scriptural  rubric  in  regard  to  praise 
is :  "  God  is  a  spirit,  and  they  that  worship 
Him  must  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 
Give  us  these  two  things,  and  wherever  you 
have  these,  organ  or  no  organ,  the  worship  is 
acceptable  to  God.  Then  there  is  another  point : 
you  have  here  what  I  am  delighted  to  see,  these 
hymns.  Well,  I  am  old  enough  to  remember 
when  there  was  only  one  Presbyterian  denom- 
ination in  Scotland,  and  that  the  Relief  Church, 
that  sang  hymns.  I  remember  the  introduction 
of  the  hymn-book  into  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Scotland.  It  is  only  within  the  last 
few  years  that  hymns  have  been  introduced  into 
the  Established  Church  of  Scotland.  The  Con- 
gregational Churches,  I  believe,  from  the  very 
beginning  of  their  history  in  Scotland,  under  the 
Haldanes,  sang  hymns ;  but  the  Presbyterian 
Churches,  with  the  exception  of  the  Relief  Church, 
had  no  hymns,  save  the  paraphrases.  Now  we 
have  got  to  see  that  just  as  we  pray  in  unin- 
spired language,  so  we  may  sing  uninspired 
hymns.  And  yet,  let  me  say  this :  although 
it    is   a   great  thing   to    have  these  hymns,  and 


139 

although  there  are  things  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment which  I  want  to  sing  about,  and  for  which 
I  cannot  always  find  an  appropriate  psalm  (for 
instance,  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  all  that  I  owe  to  that — except  the  Sixteenth 
Psalm,  I  think  there  is  not  any  one  that  refers 
to  that,  and  I  want  to  sing  about  that  very  often),  • 
still,  although  that  is  the  case,  it  is  a  great  regret 
to  me  that  in  my  church  hymn-book  we  have 
few  metrical  psalms.  And  I  am  delighted  to 
know  that  in  the  front  part  of  your  hymn-book 
here  you  have  selections  from  the  old  psalms. 
Ah,  they  have  done  a  great  deal  for  me,  and  I 
love  those  old  psalms.  English  people  laugh  at 
them,  and  I  believe  there  are  some  of  our  Amer- 
ican friends  who  make  themselves  a  little  merry 
over  them;  but  they  are  very  close  to  the  He- 
brew, and  there  is  a  great  deal  of  strength  and 
beauty  in  their  old  rhythm.  I  used  to  say  to 
my  English  friends,  that  the  reason  they  did  not 
like  them  was  because  they  did  not  know  how 
to  read  them  ;  and  I  believe  that  is  true  of  some 
of  our  American  brethren.  Just  think  of  these 
four   lines : 

"  Their  blood  about  Jerusalem 
Like  water  they  have  shed. 
And  there  was  none  to  bury  them, 
When  they  were  slain  and  dead." 


140 

What  a  fine  old  ballad-like  cadence  there  is 
in   these   lines  !     Then    take    these   others: 

"  The  waters,  Lord,  perceived  Thee, 
The  waters  saw  Thee  well, 
And  they  for  fear  aside  did  flee  ; 
The  depths  on  trembling  fell." 

Where  shall  we  find  grander  poetry  than  that? 
Or  take  that  one  that  comes  to  me  with  the  sound 
of  trumpets  and  the  trampling  of  horses,  as  a 
battle-cry : 

"  In  Judah's  land  God  is  well  known. 

His  name  in  Isr'el  's  great, 
In  Salem  is   His  tabernacle, 

In  Zion  is  His  seat. 
There  arrows  of  the  bow  He  brake, 

The  shield,  the  sword,  the  war ; 
More  glorious  Thou  than  hills  of  prey, 

More  excellent  art  far." 

Why,  set  me  to  singing  that,  and  I  would  fight 
in  any  battle,  and  I  do  not  wonder  that  the  Cov- 
enanters conquered  at  Drumclog  when  they  made 
their  onset  to  the  glorious'  sound  of  that  martial 
song.  I  say  that  I  am  very  sorry  that  these  old 
songs  are  disappearing  from  among  us.  I  like  the 
psalms.  I  think  it  would  have  been  better  if  they 
had  not  been  pushed  so  much  out  by  the  hymns ; 
and  in  my  church,  if  we  could  not  have  the  old 
Scottish  psalms,  which,  perhaps,  would  be  asking 


141 

a  little  too  much,  I  would  rejoice  to  have  the 
prose  psalms  chanted  by  the  whole  congregation. 
I  think  we  have  the  right  to  sing  with  Cowper, 
Newton,  Montgomery,  Bonar,  Lyte,  and  with 
Palmer  and  others  here  on  this  side  of  the  Atlan- 
tic ;  but  we  must  not  forget  David,  the  sweet 
singer  of  Israel.  As  an  Old-Light  minister  once 
said  to  me,  "  There  is  nothing  like  a  good  hard 
psalm."  I  was  preaching  in  his  pulpit  in  the 
earlier  years  of  my  ministry,  and  I  was  going  to 
give  out  a  paraphrase,  but  when  I  turned  to  that 
part  of  the  book  I  found  its  leaves  stitched  up, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  service  I  said  to  him, 
"  Why  have  you  got  the  paraphrases  stitched 
up?"  He  said,  "There  is  nothing  like  a  good 
hard  psalm."  I  said,  "I  have  no  fault  to  find 
with  the  psalms,  but  sometimes  I  like  a  para- 
phrase too."  Occasionally  even  the  precentors 
ventured  on  a  similar  protest.  I  remember  a  friend 
giving  out  a  paraphrase,  when  he  was  preaching 
for  a  brother,  and  the  man  who  was  in  the  box 
did  not  make  any  attempt  to  open  the  book,  so 
the  preacher  leaned  over  and  said,  "It  is  such 
and  such  a  paraphrase."  The  precentor  replied : 
"We  don't  sing  paraphrases  here,  sir,  but  I  will 
sing  the  same  number  of  a  psalm." 

Now  I  am  thankful  to  say  that  we  have  got  rid 
of  a  great  deal  of  that ;  but  at  the  same  time  I 
don't  think  we  have  done  well  in  so  largely  omit- 


142 

ting  the  psalms  from  our  books  of  praise,  and  I 
congratulate  you  in  retaining  so  many  of  them 
in  yours. 

I  have  said  a  good  deal  more  than  I  meant  to 
say  when  I  arose,  but  I  may  fitly  bring  my  re- 
marks to  a  close  by  quoting  from  the  psalter,  as 
my  earnest  prayer  for  you  and  my  dear  friend  your 
pastor,  the  familiar  words,  "  Peace  be  within  thy 
walls  and  prosperity  within  thy  palaces.  For  my 
brother  and  companion's  sake,  I  will  now  say, 
Peace  be  within  thee.  Because  of  the  house  of 
the  Lord  my  God,  I  will  seek  thy  good."  God 
bless  you. 


The  Church  in  Thirty-fourth  Street,  West  of  Broadway. 


IVednesday, October  28,  iSS^.—y.^oP.M. 


^ 


Xhe  Sabbath- School  Meeting. 


The  three  Sabbath-Schools  completely  filled  the  body  of  the 
Church,  and  the  galleries  were  thronged  by  parents  and 
friends. 

The  Rev.  fohn  Spaiilding,  D.  D.,  presided,  and  interest- 
ing addresses  were  made  by  the  Revs.  John  Thomson,  D.D., 
James  D.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  George  Alexander,  D.  D.,  and 
Edward  F.  Parsons,  M.  D.,  a  former  Superintendent. 

The  exercises  were  varied  bv  the  singing  of  appropriate 
hymns  by  the  children,  and  refreshments  were  served  to  them 
in  the  Lecture-room,  at  the  close  of  a  most  enjoyable  evening. 


^ 


Many  of  the  former  officers  and  teachers  were  specially 
invited,  and  by  their  presence  added  greatly  to  the  interest 
of  the  occasion. 


Thursday,  October  2p,  i88$. — 7.^0  P.  M. 


Reminiscences  and  Social  Reunion. 


a/Jfter  introductory  devotional  services,  led  by  the 
Rev.  James  White,  D.  D., 

<tAddresses  were  made  by  the 

Rev.  John  Spaulding,  D.  D. 

Rev.  Andrew  Shiland,  D.  D. 

Rev.  John  X^omson,  D.  D. 

Mr.  Robert  (^arter. 


Some  fine  solos  were  rendered  bv  Miss  Josie  McPherson 
and  Mr.  Charles  Renwick. 


^ 


A  sumptuous  Collation  was  arranged  in  the  Lecture- 
room,  which  had  been  elegantly  fitted  up  for  the  Reunion. 
The  intermingling  of  old  and  new  members,  the  exchange 
of  memories  and  hopes,  congratulations  and  good  wishes, 
protracted  the  large  assembly  until  past  the  midnight. 


Address 


Rev.  John  Spaulding,  d.  d. 


THE  ELOQUENCE  OF  AGE. 


HAT  more  instructive,  more  impres- 
sive, more  elevating  than  the  elo- 
quence of  age,  when  that  age  has 
)been  spent  in  the  line  of  truth,  duty, 
and  usefulness  !  Especially  when  that  age  meas- 
ures the  life  of  a  venerable  church !  Thus  far  this 
week  we  have  listened,  and  been  deeply  moved  by 
the  eloquence  of  the  pulpit;  this  evening  we  listen 
to  the  eloquence  of  the  church,  speaking  from  the 
pews,  and  giving  reminiscences  of  a  century. 
19  14s 


146 

Is  it  not  written,  "  Days  should  speak,  and 
multitude  of  years  should  teach  wisdom  "  ?  Days 
should  speak,  because  they  have  so  much  to 
say,  and  years  should  teach,  because  they  have 
wisdom  to  impart  from  their  accumulated  stores 
of  practical  knowledge.  Let,  then,  days  and 
years  express  their  strong  emotions,  so  as  to 
excite  corresponding  emotions  in  others.  There 
is  eloquence  in  the  tones  of  their  voice,  in  the 
force  of  their  language,  and  in  the  depth  of  their 
impressions. 

On  the  old  homestead  stands  a  venerable  oak. 
It  was  an  acorn  when  your  grandfather,  or 
father,  was  a  boy.  Every  year  has  added  a  con- 
centric circle  to  its  growth  till  it  now  numbers 
five  score.  It  has  lifted  its  head  high,  and  higher 
a  hundred  summers,  and  battled  with  the  storms 
of  a  hundred  winters.  It  sprang  from  its  acorn- 
cell  two  years  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  and  was  only  the  size  of  a  walking- 
cane  when  General  Washington  was  inaugurated 
the  first  President  of  the  United  States.  But  now, 
strong  in  its  roots,  strong  in  limbs,  and  majestic 
in  trunk,  it  stands  the  venerable  and  eloquent 
teacher  of  three  and  a  half  generations  past,  and 
many  generations  to  come.  We  gather  about 
the  old  oak  as  loving  pupils  salute  an  old 
teacher ;  as  dutiful  and  dear  children  kiss  the 
wrinkled  cheeks  of  an  aged  parent. 


147 

That  venerable  oak  is  the  emblem  of  this 
venerated  Fourth  Church. 

To-day  it  is  our  privilege  to  gather  in  its 
courts,  and  feel  the  eloquence  of  its  age.  It  was 
"  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and 
prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 
corner-stone."  On  such  a  foundation  there  has 
been  eloquence  in  its  stability. 

During  these  hundred  years,  how  many  is7ns 
have  clamored  for  attention  and  recognition  !  — 
skepticism,  socialism,  communism,  Arminianism, 
Socinianism,  unitarianism,  old-schoolism,  new- 
schoolism,  spiritism,  higher  criticism,  lower  gnos- 
ticism, and  as  many  other  is7ns  as  there  are 
degrees  of  latitude  between  Cape  Farewell  and 
Cape  Horn.  But  it  has  given  place  to  them,  by 
subjection,  no,  not  for  an  hour.  While  to  the  Jews 
Christ  crucified  has  been  "  a  stumbling-block,  and 
to  the  Greeks  foolishness,"  to  this  church  it  has 
been  the  "  wisdom  of  God,  and  the  power  of 
God."  The  old  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  as  im- 
bedded in  Christian  experience,  and  formulated 
by  the  Westminster  Assembly  of  divines,  have 
ever  been  its  substantial  and  satisfactory  creed. 
So  doctrinally  and  eloquently  it  has  stood, 

"  Like  some  tall  cliff,  that  lifts  its  awful  form, 
Swells  from  the  vale,  and  midway  leaves  the  storm ; 
While  round  its  breast  the  rolling  clouds  are  spread, 
Eternal  sunshine  settles  on  its  head." 


148 

And  there  has  been  eloquence  in  its  unity. 

Different  as  may  have  been  its  opinions  on 
matters  before  it  on  various  occasions,  and 
earnest  as  may  have  been  its  discussions,  the 
hour  of  decision  has  generally  brought  conces- 
sion, concurrence,  and  a  practical  unity.  Seldom 
has  so  long  a  chain  had  so  few  broken  links. 
Its  unity  has  been  its  past  strength,  and  is 
to-day  an  eloquent  pledge  of  growing  strength 
with  its  increasing  years. 

And  how  eloquent  has  been  its  sympathy ! 

When  one  member  has  suffered,  all  the  mem- 
bers have  suffered  with  it ;  when  there  has  been 
sickness  in  the  family,  how  honest  and  earnest 
the  inquiries !  How  suggestive  and  comforting 
the  fragrant  flowers  or  delicate  token  sent  to  the 
sick  one  !  When  death  has  drawn  the  sable  cur- 
tains, and  summoned  to  the  funeral,  how  many 
have  found  it  better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mourn- 
ing than  to  the  house  of  feasting !  In  a  city  like 
this,  where  the  black  or  white  badge  so  often 
hangs  from  the  knob  of  the  door-bell,  where  the 
daily  hearse  is  no  stranger,  and  the  indifferent 
multitude  passes  by  with  no  care  or  inquiry  about 
the  departed,  how  kind  and  Christian  is  the  sight 
of  a  house  full  of  mourners !  Such  expressions 
of  sympathy  have  characterized  this  old  city  con- 
gregation beyond  any  I  have  known.     Eloquent 


149 

tributes  are  they  to  the  best  feelings  and  consola- 
tions of  human  hearts. 

And  what  shall  we  say  of  the  eloquence  of  its 
charities  and  contributions?  If  they  have  not 
been  so  large  and  proud  as  some  others,  they 
have  been  perennial.  If  they  have  not  been  the 
babbling  mountain  brooks,  dry  more  than  half  the 
year,  they  have  been  the  silent  flowing  springs, 
keeping  their  banks  verdant  and  fruitful  the  whole 
twelve  months. 

Its  Benevolent  Society,  now  ninety  years  old, 
has  raised  and  expended  for  the  relief  and  com- 
fort of  its  worthy  church  members  over  $6000, 
while  its  estimated  public  and  private  charities 
have  exceeded  $720,000.  Besides  what  it  has 
given  for  other  church  edifices,  it  has  recently 
built  a  Mission  Chapel  at  an  expense  of  $20,000, 
and  this  house  of  worship  at  a  cost  of  $140,000. 
Thus,  while  it  has  cared  for  its  own  household, 
it  has  generously,  may  I  not  say  eloquently,  con- 
tributed to  the  welfare  of  others. 

Then  there  is  the  outspoken  eloquence  of  its 
pulpit  during  these  ten  decades.  An  average  of 
two  sermons  on  a  Sabbath  aggregates  10,400. 
What  shall  we  say  of  the  instructive,  impressive, 
and  persuasive  power  of  these  more  than  ten 
thousand  sermons  and  other  addresses  adapted  to 
various  occasions !     How  many  darkened  minds 


I50 

have  thereby  been  enlightened ;  how  many  sad 
hearts  comforted  ;  how  many  consciences  quick- 
ened to  the  discernment  of  right  and  wrong  ;  how 
many  brought  to  the  obedience  of  the  truth,  as  it 
is  in  Jesus ;  how  many  feet  turned  from  the  broad 
into  the  narrow  way ;  how  many,  now  in  heaven 
and  on  the  way  there,  are  enabled  to  say,  through 
the  eloquence  of  the  truth  uttered  from  this  pulpit, 
by  the  grace  of  God  we  are  what  we  are ;  all  we 
now  are,  and  all  we  hope  to  be  ! 

And  what  of  the  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
communion  seasons  during  the  ten  decades  of  this 
church,  where,  from  far  and  near,  the  tribes  have 
come  up,  the  tribes  of  the  Lord,  unto  the  testi- 
mony of  Israel,  to  give  thanks  unto  the  name  ol 
the  Lord  !  Is  there  nothing  eloquent ;  nothing 
deeply  emotional,  and  producing  deep  emotions ; 
nothing  strengthening  the  principles,  motives,  and 
purposes  of  faith  ;  nothing  sanctifying  and  mold- 
ing character  for  usefulness  and  heaven  in  all 
these  seasons  of  partaking  the  memorials  of  the 
broken  body,  and  shed  blood  of  the  Lamb  of 
God  ?  Also  in  the  some  five  thousand  meetings  for 
prayer  and  praise;  where  the  "eyes  of  the  Lord 
are  upon  the  righteous,  and  His  ears  are  open 
unto  their  cry";  whence  the  hands  of  faith  have 
reached  heaven,  and  brought  down  blessings  to 
gladden  both  earth  and  heaven.  Moreover,  in 
the  thousands  of  Bible-class  and  Sabbath-school 


151 

lessons  given  the  children  and  youth ;  is  there 
no  eloquence  in  the  entrance  of  the  words 
that  give  light  and  understanding  to  the 
simple?  Ask  Robert  Raikes,  who  founded  the 
institution  of  Sabbath-schools  four  years  before 
this  church  was  born,  and  who  has  been  in  heaven 
seventy-four  years  ;  ask  the  children  and  youth 
who  have  studied  and  learned  these  lessons  under 
this  roof- tree, — some  of  them  are  already  in  that 
bright  world,  and  others  are  on  the  way  there, — 
ask  them  whether  there  is  anything  enlightening, 
subduing,  and  saving  in  the  words  of  Him  who 
spake  as  never  man  spake  ? 

Our  hearts  rejoice,  our  bosoms  glow : 
This  hour,  what  cheering  visions  rise ! 

These  children,  nurtured  here  below, 
Shall  swell  the  assemblies  of  the  skies ! 

Then,  to  crown  all,  the  eloquence  of  the  silent 
power,  the  unconscious  influence,  and  the  prac- 
tical religion  in  the  private  lives  of  the  pastors, 
officers,  and  members  of  this  church. 

Enoch's  private  walk  with  God  in  the  presence 
of  his  contemporaries  300  years,  and  its  influence 
5000  years  since  God  took  him,  speaks  even  more 
eloquently  to-day  than  the  public,  excellent  sacri- 
fice of  Abel.  So  with  the  piety  of  the  men  and 
women  who  have  walked  with  God  here.  The 
dead  yet  speak.     It  is  the  still  small  voice  that  of 


152 

old  spake  to  the  people  through  His  prophet,  and 
now  speaks  to  us  through  His  people.  So  much 
for  this  century  oak.  Such  is  the  eloquence  of  its 
age.  Eloquent  in  its  stability ;  eloquent  in  its 
unity ;  eloquent  in  its  sympathy ;  eloquent  in  its 
charities ;  eloquent  in  its  sermons  and  public 
addresses ;  eloquent  in  its  communion  seasons ; 
eloquent  in  its  meetings  for  prayer ;  eloquent  in 
its  Bible-class  and  Sabbath-school  instructions  ; 
eloquent  in  the  godly  lives  of  its  pastors,  officers, 
and  members  ;  eloquent  in  all  these  aspects,  may 
this  centennial  oak  live  many  centuries  to  come ; 
like  the  Psalmist's  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of 
water, 

Ever  fruitful,  ever  fair, 

As  any  trees  prospered  where 

God  created  trees,  and  men. 

To  make  His  grace  and  glory  shine. 


Address 


Rev.  Andrew  Shiland,  d.  d. 


N  Monday  evening,  listening  to  the 
(eloquent  addresses,  I  was  greatly  in- 
'terested  and  delighted.  Especially 
was  I  pleased  with  Dr.  Hall's  glow- 
ing description  and  analysis  of  the  Scotch  and 
Scotch- Irish  character;  and  while  enjoying  his 
remarks,  so  excellent  and  so  pertinent,  I  confess 
I  felt  a  little  elated  that  there  was  Scotch  blood 
running  through  my  veins,  though  of  the  second 
generation.  I  claim  to  be  an  American,  and 
yet,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  I  have  sometimes 
been  taken  for  a  Scotchman  or  Scotch-Irishman. 

20  IS3 


154 

Many,  many  years  ago,  when  I  preached  for 
Dr.  Stark  in  Grand  street,  shortly  after  leav- 
ing the  Seminary,  as  I  came  down  out  of  the 
pulpit,  an  old  Scotch  lady  came  up  to  me,  took 
me  by  the  hand  most  cordially,  and  said,  "  How 
do  you  do?  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you.  How 
long  since  you  came  over  ? " 

Your  worthy  pastor  requested  me  to  give  some 
recollections  and  reminiscences  of  Dr.  Stark  this 
evening.  My  knowledge  of  this  church  and  my 
acquaintance  with  its  leading  members  extends 
back  more  than  a  third  of  a  century.  Most  of 
those  men  whom  I  knew  long  years  since  have 
gone  to  their  reward.  They  have  left  the  Church 
Militant  for  the  Church  Triumphant.  Being  dead, 
however,  they  yet  speak,  and  their  memory  is 
still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  those  who  knew  them. 
We  cherish  with  gratitude  the  recollection  of  the 
excellency  of  their  Christian  character.  They 
were  noble-minded  men,  large-hearted,  open- 
handed,  liberal,  and  active  in  their  support  of  the 
church  and  in  their  endeavors  to  advance  the 
interests  of  Christ's  cause  and  kingdom.  I  have 
known  all  the  pastors  of  this  church,  from  the 
time  of  Dr.  Stark  down  to  the  present  pastor. 

My  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Stark  goes  back  to 
my  boyhood  days,  and  I  remember  his  appear- 
ance very  well  when  I  was  a  little  boy.  He 
used  to  visit  Cambridge,  and  was  called  upon  to 


155 

assist  the  venerable  Dr.  Alexander  Bullions  at 
his  communion.  How  often  have  I  heard  him 
there  in  that  church  on  those  memorable  occa- 
sions, which  I  can  never  forget.  My  impressions 
of  Dr.  Stark  at  that  time  are  as  fresh  now  as  at 
that  very  hour  when  I  first  saw  him.  His  high 
forehead,  his  bright  piercing  eyes,  his  well-formed 
mouth  and  chin,  indicative  of  decision  and  deter- 
mination, and  his  pleasant  face  beaming  with 
intelligence  and  benevolence,  made  their  impres- 
sion on  my  mind  ;  and  when  I  heard  him  in  the 
pulpit  preaching  the  word  of  God  and  at  the 
communion  table  making  his  address,  young  as 
I  was,  I  still  retain  a  vivid  remembrance  of  his 
sincerity,  his  deep  earnestness  and  solemnity  of 
manner.  When  I  came  to  years  of  maturity  and 
became  connected  with  his  family,  I  became 
acquainted  with  him  not  only  as  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  as  a  preacher,  and  in  church  courts  and 
councils ;  I  knew  him  also  intimately  in  his  own 
household,  at  his  own  fireside,  as  a  husband  and 
as  a  father. 

Dr.  Stark  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
intellectual  ability.  No  one  could  be  in  his  pres- 
ence and  enjoy  his  conversation  for  any  length 
of  time  without  being  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  he  bore  the  unmistakable  marks  of  a  scholar 
and  a  Christian  gentleman.  By  his  learning,  as 
well  as  by  his  natural  gifts,  he  was  fitted  to  honor 


156 

any  profession  in  life  which  he  might  have  chosen. 
He  had  a  wonderful  skill,  if  I  may  so  speak,  in 
discerning  men  and  discriminating  character.  He 
knew  how  to  read  men,  how  to  manage  men,  and 
never  at  any  time  was  he  embarrassed  or  con- 
fused in  any  position  in  which  he  might  be  placed. 
I  remember  that,  when  I  was  a  pastor  in  Phila- 
delphia (and  I  may  say  here  in  this  connection 
that  he  laid  his  hands  upon  me,  with  the  other 
members  of  the  clergy,  when  I  was  ordained, 
made  the  ordaining  prayer  and  preached  the  ser- 
mon), he  was  summoned  to  Philadelphia  as  a  wit- 
ness in  an  important  civil  suit  involving  a  large 
amount  of  church  property.  He  was  placed  in 
the  witness-chair,  and  the  lawyer  tried  his  best 
by  cross-examination  to  confuse  and  embarrass 
him,  and  put  question  after  question,  so  as  to  get 
him  to  answer  the  question  just  as  he  wanted  it, 
to  suit  his  side  of  the  case  ;  but  Dr.  Stark  sat 
there  in  the  witness-chair,  perfectly  composed, 
and  answered  the  questions  in  a  most  courteous 
and  dignified  manner,  and  never  for  one  single 
moment  did  that  astute  lawyer  gain  the  advan- 
tage over  his  witness.  After  the  trial  was  over, 
or  at  the  close  of  this  meeting,  a  lawyer  present 
asked,  "  Who  was  that  old  gentleman  who  sat  in 
the  witness-chair,  who  proved  himself  too  much 
for  that  lawyer  ?  "  "  Oh,  that  was  Dr.  Stark,  of 
New- York,  the  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church." 


157 

"  What !  he  a  minister  ?  "  said  he.  "  Why,  he 
never  should  have  been  a  minister.  He  ought  to 
have  been  a  lawyer." 

In  the  accuracy  and  extent  of  his  learning,  in 
the  wide  range  of  his  reading.  Dr.  Stark  had  few 
superiors.  In  theology,  in  philosophy,  in  his 
knowledge  of  history  and  of  poetry,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  he  excelled.  Indeed,  he  was  heard 
to  say  to  a  friend  of  mine  on  one  occasion,  that 
if  Homer's  "Iliad"  were  blotted  out  of  existence, 
he  supposed  he  could  restore  the  most  of  it  from 
memory.  In  early  life  he  had  given  his  heart  to 
God,  and  all  his  faculties  and  acquirements  he 
consecrated  to  the  service  of  Christ,  used  them 
for  the  service  of  his  Lord  and  Master  and  the 
building  up  of  His  cause  and  kingdom  in  the 
world.  As  a  preacher  he  was  impressive  and 
instructive.  He  made  thorough  preparation  for 
the  pulpit.  He  did  not  write  out  his  sermons  in 
full,  it  is  true.  I  have  a  small  volume  of  his  ser- 
mons, six  inches  by  four  or  five,  and  in  that  are 
contained  the  sermons  of  a  whole  year.  The 
outlines  of  each  sermon  occupied  about  two 
pages  of  that  small  volume ;  but  it  was  a  matter 
of  conscientious  duty  with  him  to  go  before  his 
congregation  with  beaten  oil.  As  a  minister  and 
as  a  pastor  he  was  thoroughly  furnished,  and  I 
never  knew  a  more  sincere,  devout,  and  devoted 
minister  of  the  gospel.     He  was  a  man,  too,  of 


158 

wonderful  wisdom  and  prudence.  By  this  I  mean 
that  he  seemed  to  know  on  every  occasion  just 
the  right  thing  to  say  and  do  at  the  right  time. 
To  illustrate  this,  let  me  give  you  a  little  incident. 
In  his  congregation  there  was  a  woman  who  was 
considered,  to  say  the  least,  a  little  queer,  and 
some  thought  her  a  little  crazy,  although  she  was 
harmless.  Dr.  Stark,  when  he  was  preaching, 
often  had  his  eyes  upon  the  open  Bible,  and  this 
queer  old  lady  thought  that  he  read  his  sermons. 
She  had  a  great  contempt  for  sermons  read  in 
the  pulpit ;  but  she  couldn't  find  out  whether  he 
had  his  manuscript  there  and  read  it  or  not,  and 
she  was  determined  to  know.  Consequently,  one 
Sabbath  morning  she  went  early  and  took  her 
place  in  the  pulpit,  desiring  to  find  out  whether 
her  pastor  read  his  sermons  from  manuscript  or 
not.  When  Dr.  Stark  came  into  the  pulpit,  he 
saw  this  woman  sitting  there,  and  said  very 
quietly,  "What  are  you  doing  here?"  "Oh," 
said  she,  "  I  came  up  here  to  see  if  you  read 
your  sermons."  Well,  Dr.  Stark  didn't  get  into 
a  furor  and  hustle  her  out  or  call  for  a  policeman. 
Instead  of  that,  he  said  to  her  very  gently,  "Well, 
ma'am,  there  is  no  need  of  us  both  being  here. 
If  you  are  going  to  stay  here,  I  will  go  down." 
He  reached  to  get  his  hat,  and  she  shot  out  of 
that  pulpit  like  an  arrow,  and  he  had  no  more 
trouble  with  that  woman. 


159 

Let  me  say  to  you  here,  that  the  intelHg-ence 
of  his  congregation,  their  knowledge  of  Christian 
doctrine,  and  their  zeal  in  every  good  word  and 
work,  their  adherence  to  the  truth,  their  walking 
in  the  truth  and  doing  all  they  could  to  dissemi- 
nate the  truth,  were  the  best  testimonials  of  the 
faithfulness  of  Dr.  Stark  as  a  preacher  and  min- 
ister of  the  gospel.  Many  a  family  in  his  con- 
gregation were  made  wiser,  better,  and  richer  for 
his  judicious  and  prudent  counsels.  In  his  own 
family  he  was  a  model  for  household  order  and 
parental  instruction.  To  instruct  his  children  in 
the  statutes  and  commandments  of  God,  to  have 
them  thoroughly  indoctrinated  in  the  grand  truths 
of  the  Bible,  and  to  impress  upon  their  minds  and 
upon  their  hearts  the  blessed  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel,  he  conceived  to  be  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance. And  not  only  did  he  believe  in  this  Bible, 
from  Genesis  to  Revelation,  but  he  believed  in 
the  Shorter  Catechism,  and  he  taught  it  to  his 
children  as  long  as  he  lived.  And  let  me  tell  you, 
he  took  them  through  that  catechism  once  every 
three  weeks,  taking  one-third  of  it  every  Sabbath 
afternoon.  Now  some  of  you  may  think  that  this 
was  altogether  unnecessary.  Some  think  nowa- 
days that  that  Shorter  Catechism  is  not,  after  all, 
of  great  consequence  ;  but  I  maintain  that  it  is 
the  most  compact  expression  of  Christian  doc- 
trine to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world, — a  vade 


i6o 

mecum  of  theology.  Some  people  do  not  believe 
in  teaching  that  catechism  to  small  children,  be- 
cause they  do  not  understand  it.  Well,  if  they  do 
not  understand  it  at  the  time,  they  will  under- 
stand it  afterward;  and  when  it  is  impressed  upon 
their  minds  early  they  do  not  forget  it  easily.  A 
few  years  ago,  when  I  was  pastor  at  Mt.  Kisco, 
Dr.  S.  Irenseus  Prime,  lately  deceased,  spent  the 
Sabbath  with  me,  preached  for  me  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  talked  to  the  Sunday-school  in  the 
afternoon  ;  and  in  talking  to  the  Sunday-school 
children  he  made  this  proposition  :  that  he  would 
give  a  beautiful  gilt  Bible  to  each  one  who  would 
recite,  without  any  mistake,  the  Fourth  Com- 
mandment. Several  of  them  volunteered  to  re- 
cite that  Fourth  Commandment,  and  they  thought 
they  knew  it,  but  not  one  of  them  said  it  per- 
fectly ;  they  all  left  something  out  or  put  some- 
thing in.  Not  one  of  them  got  the  Bible.  When 
he  came  back  to  the  parsonage,  my  wife  said  to 
him :  "  Dr.  Prime,  I  think  I  can  repeat  that  com- 
mandment." He  said,  "  I  don't  believe  you  can. 
Now,  recite  that  Fourth  Commandment,  without 
putting  in  a  word  or  leaving  out  a  word,  and  I 
will  give  you  a  Bible."  She  began,  and  recited 
it  verbatim  et  literatim, — did  not  leave  out  or  put 
in  a  single  word.  Said  he,  "  You  shall  have  the 
Bible."  When  he  went  back  to  New-York  he 
sent  her  the  Bible,  with  his  name  on  the  fly-leaf. 


i6i 

Now  that  catechism  was  so  thoroughly  impressed 
on  her  mind  by  regular  recitation  when  she  was 
a  child,  that  if  she  had  lived  to  be  as  old  as 
Methusaleh  she  could  never  forget  it.  So  I  can 
tell  you,  if  you  want  to  impress  the  catechism 
upon  the  minds  of  the  children,  teach  them  when 
they  are  young. 

Dr.  Stark  never  neglected  the  homes  of  the 
poor,  and  was  a  welcome  guest  wherever  he  went. 
Perhaps  many  of  you,  I  do  not  know  whether  all 
of  you,  know  that  in  1849  he  went  to  Scotland 
for  his  health  ;  he  had  been  laboring  a  long  time, 
was  very  much  run  down,  and  it  was  thought 
that  an  ocean  voyage  and  a  visit  to  his  native 
land  would  be  beneficial.  He  was  a  guest  of  his 
cousin.  Rev.  Dr.  Stark,  of  Dennyloanhead.  None 
of  his  family  thought  him  seriously  ill  when  he  left 
his  home.  While  at  Dr.  Stark's,  at  Dennyloan- 
head, Scotland,  he  retired  to  rest  and  woke  up  in 
heaven.  He  was  found  dead  in  his  bed,  and  it 
was  observed  by  the  members  of  the  family  that 
when  he  conducted  family  devotions  that  evening 
it  was  with  unusual  solemnity  and  impressive- 
ness  ;  he  seemed  to  be  at  the  very  gate  of  heaven, 
and  they  all  remembered  the  last  prayer  made 
by  Dr.  Stark  on  that  night,  just  before  his  spirit 
ascended  to  the  throne  of  God  who  gave  it. 
There  was  mourning  in  his  church  and  among 
his  people  when  the  sad  news  came  of  his  death — 
21 


l62 

the  bereavement  was  deeply  lamented,  from  the 
oldest  to  the  youngest  member  of  his  congrega- 
tion. They  felt  it  as  they  would  feel  the  loss  of 
a  father.  They  laid  his  remains  in  Greenwood, 
and  erected  over  the  place  where  he  sleeps  a  costly 
and  beautiful  monument  to  his  memory. 

And  now,  my  dear  friends  and  brethren,  allow 
me,  in  conclusion,  to  congratulate  you  on  this 
centennial  of  your  church  life.  Although  you 
have  been  so  often  congratulated  as  to  this 
already,  may  I  not  also  do  the  same  ?  I  con- 
gratulate you  on  having  had,  in  succession,  such 
able,  such  devoted,  such  pious  and  godly  men  to 
minister  among  you  and  to  break  to  you  "the 
bread  of  life.  I  also  commend  you  for  the  esteem, 
the  respect,  the  affection,  and  the  love  which  you 
have  always  manifested  toward  your  pastors,  from 
the  very  beginning,  I  believe,  to  the  present  hour. 
I  commend  you  for  this,  and  I  congratulate  you  on 
having  had  your  church  work  and  your  church  life 
in  this  century  of  the  world's  history,  the  most 
eventful  and  fruitful  of  all  the  centuries,  in  dis- 
covery, in  invention,  in  art,  in  science,  in  literature, 
in  missionary  work  and  enterprise,  in  aggressive 
and  progressive  Christianity  ;  in  short,  in  every- 
thing that  pertains  to  the  elevation  and  salvation 
of  men.  I  congratulate  you  upon  living  in  this 
time  of  such  unspeakable  blessings,  of  such  un- 
paralleled  opportunities   for   getting  and    doing 


1 63 

good.  And  let  me  say  to  you,  do  not  be  alarmed 
because  of  the  great  hue  and  cry  nowadays  about 
skepticism  and  infidelity.  Do  not  be  alarmed 
because  there  are  those  who  talk  against  this 
blessed  volume  and  tell  you  that  it  is  becoming 
effete  and  worn  out.  Do  not  be  alarmed  because 
there  are  those  who  tell  you  that  Christianity  is 
declining,  and  the  ancient  faith  is  becoming  de- 
crepit and  soon  will  disappear.  I  tell  you  there 
is  nothing  of  the  kind.  There  was  never  so 
much  Christianity  in  the  world  as  to-day.  There 
never  were  so  many  followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  to-day.  Why,  a  hundred  years  ago 
there  was  only  one  church  member,  or  professor 
of  Christianity,  to  fourteen;  and  in  1880  there 
was  one  professing  Christian,  or  church  member, 
to  five.  Do  not  be  alarmed,  I  say,  for  all  this 
talk  of  infidelity  and  skepticism.  There  are  to- 
day six  millions  of  Sunday-school  children,  and  do 
you  not  think,  with  these  six  millions  of  Sunday- 
school  children,  and  with  all  the  professed  fol- 
lowers of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be  able 
to  triumph  over  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil  ?  I  think  we  will.  Do  not  be  alarmed,  and 
do  not  think  infidelity  is  going  to  triumph,  when 
there  are  at  least  eight  or  ten  churches  of  the 
different  denominations  of  Christians,  taking  them 
altogether,  erected  for  every  day  of  the  year. 
Their  spires  and  their  towers  point  heavenward. 


164 

inviting  men  to  the   house  of  prayer,   directing 
them  to  the  many  mansions  of  rest  and  of  glory. 

And  now,  in  the  language  of  the  apostle,  I 
beseech  you,  brethren,  that  you  increase  more 
and  more  as  a  church,  as  individuals,  increase 
more  and  more  in  your  faith,  in  your  knowledge, 
in  your  piety,  in  your  self-consecration  to  Christ, 
and  in  every  good  word  and  work.  Be  of  good 
comfort,  be  of  one  mind ;  live  in  peace,  and  the 
God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you.    Amen. 


Address 


Rev.  John  Thomson,  d.  d. 


Y  dear  friends  :  I  think  it  is  a 
jgood  thing  for  me  that  the  clock  points 
a  Httle  beyond  the  time  appointed 
,for  the  refection  so  kindly  provided 
for  us  in  the  lecture-room.  This  hour  has  very 
pleasantly  and  profitably  passed ;  indeed,  in  such 
a  way  as  to  lead  me  to  think  that  it  is  not  within 
my  power  to  add  anything  to  the  reminiscences 
of  those  dear  brethren  to  whom  you  have  been 
listening.  I  cannot,  at  this  late  hour,  go  back  to 
other  holy  memories,  but  I  may,  in  a  sentence  or 
two,  put  some  of  my  brethren  in  mind  of  how  and 
when  I  came  to  be  pastor  of  this  church  and  suc- 
cessor to  that  worthy  and  excellent  man,  the  Rev. 

i6s 


i66 

Dr.  Andrew  Stark.  I  had  come  from  a  poor 
provincial  city,  on  what  I  may  call  a  privateering 
expedition  to  rich  New- York,  of  which  expedition 
I  may  just  say  this,  that  it  was  successful.  Good 
Robert  Carter,  on  the  platform  beside  me  to- 
night, had  heard  me  conduct  the  service  at  the 
weekly  prayer-meeting  in  the  Scotch  Church  here, 
and  he  knew  my  errand.  He  was  applied  to  at 
a  late  hour  on  the  Saturday  evening  for  supply 
for  the  Associate  Presbyterian  Church  in  Grand 
street  for  the  following  day.  I  happened  to  be 
sojourning  in  what  is  now,  I  believe,  or  was  then, 
West  Washington  Place ;  and  between  nine  and 
ten  o'clock  that  night  one  of  the  elders,  on  his 
suggestion,  called  and  asked  me  whether  I  would 
meet  the  congregation  on  the  following  day.  He 
told  me  nothing  about  any  specialty  in  the  occa- 
sion, and  nothing  about  the  people  ;  but  it  was, 
nevertheless,  a  day  of  deepest  and  saddest  inter- 
est to  them,  for  during  the  preceding  week  the 
remains  of  their  beloved  pastor  and  spiritual 
father  had  been  brought  from  Dennyloanhead, 
in  Scotland,  to  New- York,  and  laid  in  their  final 
resting-place  in  Greenwood.  Having  consented 
to  occupy  the  pulpit,  I  found  that  a  number  of  the 
members  of  the  church  were  comforted  exceed- 
ingly by  the  message  which,  in  total  ignorance 
of  their  circumstances,  I  had  received  of  the  Lord 
for  them.     The  words  of  my  text  were :   "  Sing 


i67 

ye  to  her  a  vineyard  of  red  wine.  I  the  Lord  do 
keep  it;  I  will  water  it  every  moment;  lest  any 
should  hurt  it,  I  will  keep  it  night  and  day." 
The  theme  was  God's  care  of  and  interest  in  the 
prosperity  and  peace  of  His  people.  Well,  very 
soon  thereafter,  early  in  the  spring  of  1850,  an 
invitation  was  sent  to  me  to  become  their  pastor. 
I  could  not,  however,  see  it  to  be  my  duty  to 
accept  it,  for  the  congregation  to  which  I  was 
ministering  in  the  city  of  St.  John's,  New  Bruns- 
wick, was  a  recently  organized  one,  and  not  as 
yet  strong  or  vigorous.  The  congregation  in 
New- York  were,  I  had  reason  to  believe,  vexed 
and  disturbed  by  my  refusal ;  but  only  for  a  sea- 
son, for  at  the  close  of  a  year  they  renewed  the 
invitation,  which,  after  consultation  with  friends, 
and  prayer  to  our  Heavenly  Father,  I  accepted. 
The  condition  of  the  church  at  that  time  was  fine  ; 
men  of  shrewdness  and  probity  managed  its 
finances,  and  men  of  deep  piety  superintended  its 
spiritual  concerns.  They  were  ready  to  welcome 
a  leader  among  them,  and  they  did  give  me  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  I  entered  upon  the  charge 
full  of  hope.  Throughout  all  the  years  that  suc- 
ceeded, I  have  no  recollection  of  any  dark  shadow 
resting  upon  us,  so  far  as  their  interest  in  me  and 
my  work  as  God's  servant  was  concerned  —  not 
one.  We  met  inwardly.  Those  years  passed  in 
mutual   affection,    which   showed  itself  then   and 


i68 

shows  itself  now.  They  attended  the  ordinances 
of  God's  house  with  regularity,  and  manifested 
the  spirit  of  true  piety  in  their  outward  lives,  and 
in  their  homes.  I  remember  no  instance  in  which 
I  could  not  approach  any  one  of  their  families 
with  the  fullest,  heartiest  consent  on  both  sides. 
They  were  to  me,  mine  ;  and  I  was  to  them, 
theirs.  Many  of  you  remember  the  old  church  at 
the  corner  of  Grand  and  Mercer  streets.  Many 
a  time  I  have  gone  over  that  church,  when  far  dis- 
tant from  it,  in  thought,  and  even  with  quickened 
vision,  tracing  every  occupant  of  every  pew  from 
the  front  of  the  pulpit  to  the  door,  knowing  full 
well  that  if  still  alive  in  the  providence  of  God, 
they  were  there  on  that  day  in  their  accustomed 
places,  from  the  youngest  to  the  oldest,  worship- 
ing the  God  of  their  fathers  with  all  the  piety  and 
steadfast  adherence  to  our  simple  forms  of  wor- 
ship which  they  had  learned  from  their  fathers 
and  rejoiced  to  maintain.  The  elders  of  that  time 
were  earnest  men,  and  men  of  profound  piety  and 
sound  common  sense.  Of  one  of  them  in  particu- 
lar it  was  wont  to  be  said  by  those  who  knew  him 
intimately:  "William  Boyd  is  an  elder  that  rules 
well,  and  nobody  knows  it";  and  of  another,  "In 
none  of  our  churches  is  there  a  more  Nathaniel- 
like man  than  James  Chalmers."  These  were 
typical  men  in  our  session ;  their  brethren  were 
like   them,   though    not   to   the   same  degree  — 


169 

"diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  spirit."  Of  two 
others  it  was  my  privilege  to  watch  the  spiritual 
growth,  and  to  give  God  thanks  for  what  He  was 
pleased  to  work  both  in  and  by  them,  both  in  and 
for  the  church.  John  Aitken  was  a  man  whom 
God  greatly  blessed,  and  not  the  least  in  this, 
that  He  was  pleased  to  make  him  a  blessing.  In 
like  manner  was  it  with  David  Irwin,  and  James 
Stuart,  and  Edward  Mackenzie,  and  Joseph  Pater- 
son,  and  William  Whitewright. 

As  to  the  trustees  of  the  church,  I  can  only  say 
of  them  all,  that  they  were  men  "who  feared  God 
and  hated  covetousness."  They  were  God's  men. 
Only  one  of  them  survives  now  ;  the  others  have 
gone  home  ;  and  in  their  track  my  dear  old  friend 
David  Morrison  follows  hard.  Yet  he  is  spared 
to  us  all,  and  with  his  soul  and  strength  and  mind 
more  strongly  devoted  than  ever  to  the  best 
interests  of  our  Zion.  And  having  mentioned 
these,  I  cannot  but  mention  two  others,  one  in 
the  eldership,  and  one  on  the  Board  of  Trustees, — 
James  and  Joseph  Stuart,  whom  all  Christian 
men  who  knew  them  esteemed  very  highly  in 
love  for  their  works'  sake.  I  know  you  will  join 
with  me  when  I  say,  that  to  no  four  men  in  the 
church  have  we  been  so  largely  indebted  as  to 
John  Aitken,  David  Irwin,  and  James  and  Joseph 
Stuart.     Of  these  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  "they 

have   done  exploits."    On   two   occasions   I   was 
22 


170 

personally  a  witness  to  their  liberality :  First, 
when  the  Mission-house  in  Thirty-third  street  was 
opened  for  home  missionary  work,  very  largely 
at  their  expense ;  and  second,  when,  a  few  years 
before  that,  this  magnificent  edifice  was  dedicated 
to  the  service  of  God,  and  a  sum  of  $40,000,  in 
addition  to  the  sum  then  in  the  hands  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  was  required  and  was  sub- 
scribed in  the  course  of  one  week,  that  it  might 
be  opened  and  dedicated  free  of  debt.  We  were 
prosperous  in  those  days,  and  our  prosperity  has 
continued  unto  this  day.  There  are  those  around 
me  to-night  who  will  attest  what  I  say,  that  addi- 
tions of  thirty,  forty,  and  on  one  occasion  over 
sixty,  were  at  communion  seasons  made  to  the 
church. 

In  1 86 1  it  was  my  duty  to  sever  my  connection 
with  the  church.  It  was  a  trying  season  not  less 
to  the  church  than  to  myself.  Yet  during  the 
three  succeeding  years  our  intercourse  as  friends 
and  brethren  suffered  no  interruption.  To  join 
the  young  in  holy  wedlock,  and  to  baptize  the 
children  of  those  to  whom  I  had  ministered,  my 
presence  and  services  were  frequently  required. 
These  and  other  proofs  of  holiest  interest  show 
the  feeling  of  unity  and  love  in  the  divine  fellow- 
ship that  continued  to  follow  me  even  after  I  had 
relinquished  the  formal  charge  of  this  church,  and 
that  only  reached  maturity  when  the  old  pastoral 


171 

tie  was  once  more  formed  and  blessed  for  added 
years. 

A  second  time  the  pastoral  tie  had  to  be  loosed, 
and  now  about  eleven  years  have  passed  since 
that  time.  Ten  of  these  I  have  spent  in  my  native 
land.  Often,  oh,  how  often  my  heart  goes  back 
to  the  scenes  of  my  earlier  ministry,  and  to  you, 
my  dear  youth,  whom  I  left  as  children, —  I  dare 
not  tell  you  how  fondly  loved, —  and  whom  I  now 
find,  instead  of  your  fathers  and  mothers,  walking 
still  in  their  fellowship,  and  in  living  communion 
with  God ;  and  to  you,  my  beloved  brethren  and 
sisters  who  yet  survive,  and  who,  bearing  the  bur- 
den of  a  few  more  years,  and  a  few  more  heavy 
crosses,  rendered  all  the  more  heavy  for  want  of 
that  stronger  arm  on  which  you  were  wont  to 
lean,  or  that  more  gentle  heart  in  unison  with 
which  you  passed  along  the  checkered  valley,  no 
fears  dividing  you,  and  no  alarms  creating  distrust 
between  you,  and  now  looking  forward  in  hope  to 
be  united  with  them  again,  when  He  shall  appear 
"to  be  glorified  in  His  saints,  and  to  be  admired 
in  all  them  that  believe."  Of  many  a  token  of 
your  continued  affection  have  you  made  me  dur- 
ing these  last  years  the  recipient.  Each  returning 
season  has  been  made  by  your  kindness  to  minis- 
ter to  my  comfort,  and  to  that  of  my  family;  and 
now,  as  if  to  crown  my  warmest  wishes,  you  have 
made  me  and  my  daughter  partakers  with  you  in 


172 

these  grand  and  successful  services.  The  only 
regret  is  the  absence  of  her  whom,  next  to  the 
supreme  gift  of  the  Lord  Jesus  our  Saviour  and 
Redeemer,  I  gladly  hail  as  the  light  of  our  humble 
mountain  home,  and  as  the  desire  of  my  heart. 
In  spirit  I  know  she  is  with  us  here  to-night,  and 
sustained  by  her  prayers,  and  strong  in  the  grace 
of  our  one  ever-living  Head,  and  resolved  on  con- 
tinuing through  His  grace  even  to  the  end,  as 
being  heirs  together  of  the  grace  of  life.  I  offer 
you,  old  and  young,  her  love  and  ever  fond 
regards  for  you  all. 

With  these  few  pleasing  reminiscences  I  have 
already  taken  up  too  much  of  your  time,  so  let  me 
only  say  that,  God  willing,  I  shall  carry  with  me  to 
my  dying  day  the  ever  sweet  recollection  that  I  have 
been  once  more  by  your  generous  kindness  in  the 
midst  of  my  old  flock.  Yet  I  cannot  stop  here. 
For  I  see  many  of  God's  witnesses  before  me, 
whom,  though  not  associated  with  my  earlier  pas- 
torate, I  should  yet  be  a  most  ungrateful  man 
not  to  recognize  as  very  dear  to  me,  because  now 
joined  as  friends  and  brethren  to  my  friends  and 
brethren,  and  as  such  joined  also  to  me ;  and 
without  formally  naming  you  all,  let  me  select  a 
few  who  have  been  known  to  me  for  a  longer 
time  than  the  others,  many  of  such  the  followers 
or  successors  of  those  who  were  my  first  acquaint- 
ances and  brethren    in  this  dear   hundred-year- 


173 

old  church.  Few  of  you,  I  am  sure,  will  be 
surprised  when  I  mention  the  name  of  one  dear 
old  friend  of  yours  and  mine  who,  ever  since  his 
connection  with  this  church,  has  proved  himself  a 
right  trusty  and  most  earnest  friend ;  who  has 
laid  us  all  under  a  heavy  bond  of  obligation  by 
the  consecration  of  himself  and  his  large  experi- 
ence in  the  Lord's  vineyard  to  our  service  in  the 
Lord.  Of  course,  I  can  but  mean  the  Rev.  Dr. 
John  Spaulding,  whose  gifts  and  graces  are  the 
crown  of  a  long  and  venerable  age.  I  do 
not  need  to  commend  you,  beloved  friends,  to  his 
great  prayers.  I  know  they  rise  before  the  Lord 
daily  for  you,  and  I  know  that  I  join  you  in  the 
responding  prayer  on  behalf  both  of  that  dear 
good  man  and  his  venerable  wife,  that  the  God 
of  the  covenant  may  bless  him  still  more  and 
more  abundantly,  and  continue  His  work  in  him 
and  by  him  to  His  church,  both  by  sea  and  land, 
till,  ripe  and  ready  for  the  better  land,  he  shall 
welcome  the  approach  of  the  voice  that  shall 
summon  a  willing  son  to  its  fullness  of  joy  and 
everlasting  delight. 

And  only  one  other  will  I  name  now,  because 
I  have  long  known  him,  even  from  the  first  years 
of  my  residence  in  this  city.  I  can  see  him  in  his 
early  manhood  with  his  young  wife  in  their  seats 
in  the  old  church  at  the  corner  of  Mercer  street. 
I    can    trace   his   career   from    one    position    to 


174 

another  —  never  ambitious,  save  to  do  in  every 
duty  only  and  always  the  right ;  the  fear  of  the 
Lord  ever  before  his  eyes,  and  the  love  of  God  in 
his  heart  —  sometimes  sorely  tried  alike  in  his 
personal  and  family  life,  yet  never  overborne  by 
the  strokes  of  his  Father's  rod,  and  ever  disposed 
to  glorify  God  even  in  the  fires  that  eternal  love 
so  often  kindles  for  the  fuller  purification  of  God's 
elect.  So  has  my  early  friend,  and  I  can  add  my 
tried  friend,  Archibald  McLintock,  an  elder  in  our 
beloved  church,  grown  during  these  last  thirty 
years.  The  honest,  modest  youth  of  nearly  thirty 
years  ago,  under  the  mighty  blessing  of  the  living 
God,  has  grown  to  be  what  I  believe  he  will  con- 
tinue to  be  —  a  faithful  witness  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
alike  in  joy  and  in  sorrow,  and  to  all  young  men 
a  steady  compass,  by  the  aid  of  which  they  may 
shape  their  course  alike  through  the  entangle- 
ments and  temptations  of  youth  and  the  trials  of 
manhood. 

And  now  with  one  other  name  I  close  these 
truthful  but  desultory  remarks.  I  commend  to 
your  prayers  my  beloved  friend  and  successor  in 
the  ministry  of  the  Fourth  Church,  the  Rev. 
Joseph  R.  Kerr,  whom  may  the  Lord  continue 
long  to  strengthen  and  support  in  his  arduous 
though  much-loved  work.  He  and  I  have  not 
often  met;  indeed,  but  twice  —  once  for  a  few 
brief  and  hurried  hours   in   Scotland,  and  again 


175 

here  in  New- York,  for  a  few  too  brief  but  most 
pleasant  weeks.  Having  heard  much  about  him, 
I  esteemed  him  before  I  saw  him ;  and  now  that 
I  have  seen  and  heard  from  his  pulpit  and  amid 
the  sanctities  of  his  home,  I  have  come  to  "esteem 
him  very  highly  in  love  for  his  work's  sake."  I 
trust  you  will  endeavor  to  cheer  and  encourage 
him  by  your  diligent  attendance  on  the  services 
which  I  know  it  is  his  heart  and  his  life  to  con- 
duct. And  now  I  must  really  stop,  for  the  hour 
is  late. 


ADDRESS 


Mr.  Robert  Carter. 


EAR  FRIENDS:  At  this  late  hour  it 

[Would    be   very    improper   for    me    to 

spend  five  minutes  in  addressing  you. 

I    have    felt    a    deep    interest    in    this 

church    for   fifty-four    years    and   more.     I   have 

watched  pastors   and   people ;    many   of  them   I 

have  accompanied  to  the  river  side  and  bade  them 

an  affectionate  farewell.     I  have  seen  the  power 

of  divine  grace  by  the  dying  bed  of,  oh,  how  many 

who  occupied  the  pews  in  this  church.     The  first 

person  I  took  by  the  hand  when  I  reached  this 

city  on  the  i6th  of  May,  183 1,  was  a  member  of 

this  church,    and  he  stood  by  me  for  more  than 

176 


177 

forty  years.  The  pastor  of  this  church  at  that 
time,  to  whom  I  had  a  letter  of  introduction,  re- 
ceived me  as  a  son  who  had  come  back  after  a 
long-  absence.  I  owed  a  debt  to  that  good  man, 
and  came  expecting  to  pay  it,  however  feebly  ; 
but  I  cannot  do  it  now.  He  is  yonder,  and,  oh, 
how  many  whom  I  loved  so  dearly  are  with  him. 
Oh,  my  brethren,  it  is  a  thin  veil  that  separates 
the  seen  from  the  unseen  world.  We  long  with 
heart-sickness  and  home-sickness  to  see  these 
dear  brethren  that  left  us  and  went  on  to  their 
reward.  I  thought  I  should  say  something  about 
the  great  work  they  did,  but  I  cannot  do  it  to- 
night, my  dear  friends.  In  a  little  while  I  shall 
step  across  that  stream  that  separates  this  world 
from  the  next ;  and,  oh,  what  a  scene  it  will  be, 
when  those  whom  I  love  so  well  and  who  did  so 
much  to  help  me  on  in  my  humble  work  shall 
appear  in  glory,  their  robes  washed  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,  singing  the  praises  of  our  Father 
in  heaven  forever  and  forever.  God  bless  you 
all  and  keep  you  all,  make  you  true  followers  of 
those  who  through  faith  and  patience  are  inherit- 
ing the  promises  ;  carry  you  safely  through  the 
storms  and  tempests  of  this  narrow  world ;  and 
when  the  night  comes  to  which  there  shall  be  no 
morning,  then  may  the  everlasting  arms  be  under- 
neath you  and  an  entrance  be  administered  into 
the  glories  of  our  Father's  house.  Amen. 
23 


178 

Mr.  Carter  has  kindly  furnished  the  following 
reminiscences : 


New-York,  Oct.  30,  1885. 

Rev.  Dr.  Kerr. 

Dear  Sir:  Fifty  years  ago  I  became  acquainted 
with  a  member  of  your  church  in  whom  I  felt  a  deep 
interest.  He  was  a  native  of  Banff,  in  the  north  of  Scot- 
land, and  in  early  life  emigrated  to  New- York.  He  was 
industrious,  economical,  and  acquired  some  prop- 
erty, but  the  clouds  gathered  over  him.  He  lost  his 
property,  his  wife  and  his  children.  Broken  in  health 
and  crushed  in  spirit  he  struggled  heavily  on.  After 
some  time  he  became  almoner  of  the  St.  Andrew's 
Society,  and  there  his  Christian  character  developed 
wonderfully.  He  was  one  of  my  constant  visitors.  He 
filled  his  pockets  with  the  "Crook  in  the  Lot,"  and 
other  good  books,  and  dropped  one  here  and  another 
there.  He  counseled  the  sick  and  prayed  with  them. 
He  often  caused  the  widow's  heart  to  ring  for  joy.  But 
his  strength  gave  way,  and  he  came  to  me  and  said,  "  I 
feel  I  cannot  do  as  I  have  done.  I  must  give  up  my 
work.  I  have  three  sisters  in  my  old  home  whom  I 
have  not  seen  for  fifty  years.  I  want  to  go  to  them  — 
will  you  lend  me  the  money  I  need  ?  "  I  agreed,  but  after 
he  left  me  I  called  upon  some  of  the  liberal  members  of 
the  society  and  three  thousand  dollars  were  raised  and 
invested  by  the  president  for  his  behoof  He  reached 
his  native  village  on  a  beautiful  summer  day.  The 
doors  of  most  of  the  cottages  were  open,  and  many  of 
the  women  and  children  were  seated  outside  enjoying 
the  balmy  air.  He  came  to  his  own  door  and  walked 
in.  The  arm-chair,  where  his  father  sat  long  ago,  was 
empty,    and   he   sat   down    in   it.      Three    gray-haired 


179 

maidens  were  sewing,  and  none  spoke.  After  a  little  he 
looked  at  one  and  asked,  "Are  you  Janet?"  "Aye," 
was  the  answer.  Again  he  asked  another,  "Are  you 
Mary  ?  "  "  Aye."  And  a  third,  "  Are  you  Elizabeth  ?  " 
"  Aye."  The  wonder  grew.  At  last  one  hastily  rose 
and  said,  "  Are  you  John  ?  "  "I  am."  The  three  seized 
him,  and  held  him  in  close  embrace,  "  Will  you  stay 
with  us  ?  "  "  By  the  help  of  God,  I  will.  We  shall  live 
together,  and  when  we  die  we  shall  sleep  together  in 
our  old  grave-yard." 

A  friend  of  mine  visited  him  when  he  was  nearing  the 
Jordan.  His  end  was  peace.  The  everlasting  arms  were 
underneath  him.     May  our  last  end  be  like  his. 

Yours  affectionately, 

Robert  Carter. 


Sacramental  Hours.  ^ 


Friday,  October  ^o,  i88^,  at  7.  ^o  P.  M.,  the  Preparatory 
Communion  Service  was  held.  Prayer  was  offered  by  the 
Rev.  Erskine  N.  White,  D.  D.,  Moderator  of  the  Presbytery 
of  New -York;  and  the  Rev.  S.  M.  Hamilton,  D.  D.,  preached 
an  impressive  sermon  from  the  text,  fohnv.  i-g,  "  The  Im- 
potent Man  at  the  Pool  of  Bethesda." 


? 


zAt  a  meeting  of  the  Session,  fourteen  new  members  were 
welcomed  into  church  fellowship. 


^ 


On  the  following  Sabbath  morning  the  Rev.  John  Thomson, 
D.  D.,  delivered  an  able  discourse  upon  "The  Bread  of 
Life."  In  the  afternoon,  at  four  o'clock,  a  great  congrega- 
tion gathered  for  the  celebration  of  The  Lord's  Supper,  many 
persons  coming  from  a  distance  to  participate  once  more  in 
the  Communion  as  administered  in  the  old  home  church. 

Hearts  melted  and  eyes  overflowed  as  the  one  hundred 
and  third  Psalm  was  sung,  in  the  Scotch  version,  without 
the  organ  accompaniment.  The  tune  was  "  Balerma,"  and 
the  Past  came  softly  down  through  the  familiar  stan:{as 
and  the  tender  addresses  of  Rev.  Drs.  Thomson,  Spaulding, 
and  the  Pastor,  awakening  fresh  affection  and  trust  toward 
that  Saviour  who  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever. 

The  benediction  dismissed  more  than  one  communicant 
who  felt  that  such  a  season  could  never  come  again  this 
side  of  heaven. 


11   II 1 1  Hill  I  III  I  uiniuiimuiiii 


The  West  Side  Chapel.  439  West  Thirty-third  Street. 


The  Covenant  of  the  Praying  Society 


OUT    OF    WHICH    THE    CHURCH    GREW. 


NEW-YORK,  JULY   4TH,   1779. 


We,  the  under-subscribers,  taking  into  serious  con- 
sideration the  great  loss  our  souls  sustain  by  being,  in 
adorable  providence,  deprived  of  the  stated  ordinances 
of  the  gospel  in  a  witnessing  way,  for  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  mutual  advantage  of  our  spiritual  interests, 
have  agreed  to  form  ourselves  into  a  praying  society, 
according  as  we  are  warranted  and  commanded  by  the 
word  of  God.  Heb.  10  &  23.  24.  25,  ^^ Let  us  hold  fast 
the  profession  of  our  faith  without  wavering:  and  let 
us  consider  one  another,  to  provoke  unto  love,  and  to  good 
works  :  not  forsaking  the  assemblijig  of  ourselves  together, 
as  the  manner  of  some  is,"  &c.  And  as  we  are  com- 
manded by  the  precept ;  so  we  are  encouraged  by  the 
promise  of  the  Lord's  presence  being  with  us  :  As  also, 
by  the  example  of  the    saints   of  old.   Mai.   3   &   16, 


l82 


"  Then  they  that  fear  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another: 
and  the  Lord  hearkened,  and  heard  it :  and  a  book  of  re- 
membrance was  written  before  him  for  them  that  fear 
the  Lord,  and  that  thought  upon  his  name."  As  likewise 
the  dispensations  of  providence,  at  this  day,  call  loudly 
upon  us  to  consider  our  wayes  and  to  turn  unto  the 
Lord,  with  weeping  and  with  supplication,  pleading  for, 
and  believing  that  he  will  yet  return  again  and  have 
compassion  upon  us,  and  cast  all  our  sins  into  the 
depths  of  the  sea. 

As  it  will  be  more  for  our  mutual  good  and  advan- 
tage to  be  of  one  heart  and  one  way  in  the  matters  of 
the  Lord;  we  have  concluded  to  draw  up  a  short  speci- 
men of  our  principles  and  the  rules  of  this  Society. 

First.  That  none  can  be  admitted  into  this  Society 
but  such  as  believe  the  word  of  God  to  be  the  only  rule 
of  faith  and  practice ;  and  profess  an  adherence  to  the 
Reformation  standards  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  con- 
tained in  our  confessions  of  faith,  Larger  and  Shorter 
catechisms.  The  Presbyterian  form  of  Church  Govern- 
ment, worship,  and  discipline,  as  it  was  received,  ap- 
proved, and  established  by  the  foresaid  Church  of 
Scotland,  betwixt  the  years  1638  &  1642;  witnessed 
for  in  the  secession  testimony  and  the  acknowledgment 
of  sins  prefixed  to  the  bond  for  renewing  our  solemn 
covenants,  to  which  we  all  profess  an  adherence. 

Second.  That  no  person  lying  under  any  scandal, 
without  acknowledging  the  sin  thereof,  can  be  admitted 
as  a  member  of  this  Society. 

Third.  That  as  the  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmi- 
ties of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  themselves,  so  no 
member  is  to  go  before  another,  but  every  one  is  to  go 
about  duty  as  it  comes  his  turn ;  and  in  our  mutual  con- 
ferences every  one  is  to  speak  his  mind  freely,  and  those 
who  have  any  scruples,  with  respect  to  what  any  mem- 
ber of  the  Society  hath  said  or  done,  shall  faithfully  lay 


i83 

such  scruples  before  the  meeting,  that  they  may  be 
satisfied  thereabout.  In  this  way  studying  to  agree 
together,  that  our  prayers  be  not  hindered. 

Fourth.  That  all  carnal  and  worldly  discourses  are 
to  be  avoided.  When  met  together,  we  are  to  consider 
ourselves  in  the  presence  of  God ;  who  is  at  all  times 
our  witness,  and  will,  in  a  little,  be  our  impartial  and 
unerring  Judge.  And  in  this,  as  in  all  other  things,  we 
will  study  to  have  a  single  eye  to  his  glory. 

Fifth.  That  curious  speculations,  and  debates,  about 
points  of  religion,  are  to  be  avoided  as  much  as  possible. 
That  each  member  is  to  study  the  spiritual  advantage 
of  the  others ;  our  furtherance  in  the  wayes  of  God,  and 
in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  his  truth,  and  of  a  testi- 
mony thereto,  in  this  Day  of  awful  Back  Sliding. 

Sixth.  That  we  shall  meet  at  such  a  place  as  we  can 
agree  upon  and  continue  so  long  as  we  think  will  serve 
the  purpose  of  edification. 

Seventh.  That  no  member  is  to  absent  himself  from 
the  meeting  without  a  sufficient  reason,  which  he  is  to 
satisfy  the  meeting  after  his  return. 

May  the  Lord,  who,  in  a  way  of  righteous  Judgment, 
scattered  our  Israel,  gather  him  again  as  a  shepherd 
doth  his  flock :  and  Oh  may  the  cause  of  truth  and 
reformation  obtain  the  ascendancy  over  all  opposing 
interests  in  Britain,  Ireland,  and  America,  and  through- 
out the  world  !  and  may  all  the  publick  commotions  of 
the  day  be  over-ruled  for  this  end.  Oh  may  the  prom- 
ise be  remembered  in  our  behalf,  and  in  behalf  of  God's 
work-servants  and  people,  in  the  aforesaid  places  !  viz., 
^'As  thy  dayes  so  shall  thy  strength  be.'' 

Lastly.  As  it  has  been  our  lot  to  fall  in  evil  Dayes, 
in  which  the  Lord,  in  the  way  of  a  righteous  judgment, 
has  scattered  us,  as  to  our  church  state,  in  consequence 
of  which,  through  the  tumult,  hurry,  and  confusion  of 
the  day,  we  all,  or  some  of  us,  may,  through  inadver- 


i84 

tancy,  weakness  or  fear,  have  formerly,  or  of  late,  been 
left  to  fall,  in  regard  to  that  holy,  humble,  circumspect 
and  tender  regard  that  allwayes  ought  to  influence  every 
part  of  our  conduct ;  such  as  rash  connections,  engaged 
to  by  oath,  inconsistent  with  our  duty  to  God,  to  our 
neighbor,  or  ourselves,  or  by  concessions  of  this  kind, 
inconsistent  with  former  ones,  opposing  oath  to  oath. 
As  this  is  a  prevailing  evil,  that  obtains  according  to  the 
different  aspect  of  the  times,  we  would  desire  to  be 
helped,  to  have  an  eye  to  it,  as  a  publick  evil,  to  be 
mourned  over,  and  particularly  in  forming  our  praying 
Society,  to  see  how  far  any  or  all  of  these,  or  any  other 
evil,  mentioned  or  implied,  are  chargeable  on  any  or  all 
of  us.  And  to  be  humbled  before  God  on  account 
of  our  untenderness,  and  endeavoring,  through  grace, 
jointly,  for  one  another,  as  it  were,  with  the  finger  on 
the  sore,  to  betake  ourselves  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling. 

This,  for  our  mutual  satisfaction,  we  unanimously 
profess,  and,  as  an  evidence  of  our  sincerity,  as  there 
may  be  matter  of  scandal,  unknown  to  us,  since  the 
dissolution  of  our  church  state,  in  this  place,  each  of  us, 
for  ourselves,  profess  a  willingness  to  submit  to  the  Dis- 
cipline of  competent  judiciary  of  the  Lord's  house 
(uniting,  through  grace,  at  maintaining  our  witnessing 
profession),  on  condition  of  the  above  supposed  case. 
And  it  is  in  this  spirit,  and  under  these  engagements, 
we  consent  to  hold  communion  with  one  another  as  a 
praying  Society. 

In  consequence  of  which  we  subscribe  ourselves. 

John  McFarland.  John  McAllister, 

George  Gosman.  Andrew  Wright, 

James  Craig,  Robert  Gosman, 


Hymns. 


These  original  hymns  were  prepared  and  pre- 
sented by  the  Rev.  John  Spaulding,  D.  D.,  and 
were  effectively  interspersed  through  the  several 
services. 

The  memories  of  an  hundred  years, 
Awake  our  joys,  and  start  our  tears ; 
As  once  more  at  the  mercy  seat, 
For  praise  and  prayer  we  gladly  meet. 

Meet  us,  our  Father,  make  us  prove, 
Thy  faithfulness,  and  deathless  love  ; 
So  that  with  conscious  sins  forgiven, 
This  day  may  be  a  pledge  of  heaven 

Let  memories  of  beloved  gone. 
To  sing  and  shine  before  thy  throne; 
Be  prompters  to  us  waiting  here, 
To  share  their  songs  and  glory  there 

24  18s 


i86 

Long  may  this  church  securely  stand, 
A  beacon-light  for  sea  and  land, 
A  living  bulwark  for  the  truth, 
To  safely  guide  both  age  and  youth. 


Precious  mem'ries  cluster  here, 
Where  they  met  for  praise  and  prayer; 
Where  our  fathers  worshipped  God, 
Found,  and  kept  the  heavenly  road. 

Here  an  hundred  years  ago, 
Springs  of  Hfe  began  to  flow  ; 
Many  centuries  to  come, 
May  the  living  waters  run. 

Blessed  be  the  God  of  love, 
For  the  rest  of  those  above  ; 
Blessed  be  the  God  of  grace. 
That  we  there  may  find  a  place. 

Bright  in  hope  and  strong  in  faith, 
May  we  keep  the  narrow  path  ; 
Till  united  there  we  sing, 
Higher  praises  to  our  King. 


O  God,  our  fathers'  God,  and  Friend, 

On  us  thy  grace  bestow ; — 
The  blessing,  thou  didst  give  to  them, 
.An  hundred  years  ago. 


i87 

O  come,  thou  quickening  Spirit,  come, 
And  make  our  graces  grow  ; 

Us  sanctify,  as  thou  didst  them, 
An  hundred  years  ago. 

Praise  God  for  memories  of  his  love. 

For  all  enjoyed  below; 
Praise  Him,  and  ne'er  forget  above, 

An  hundred  years  ago. 


Our  Fathers  sowed  for  us  to  reap, 

The  harvests  of  to-day ; 
And  now  their  grateful  children  keep 

Their  hallowed  memory ; 
We'll  hold  that  memory  ever  dear. 

Till  we,  supremely  blest, 
Shall  glorious  in  heaven  appear. 

To  share  the  final  rest. 

And  while  we  gather  up  the  sheaves, 

To  shout  the  Harvest  home, 
A  hand  divine  for  each  one  wreathes 

A  never-fading  crown  ; 
A  radiant  crown  of  endless  joy, 

And  pledge  of  royal  power, 
Where  saints  and  angels  robed  in  white, 

Reign  victors  ever  more. 

Thanks  to  our  God  for  daily  bread. 

By  Him  so  kindly  given ; 
Our  manna  on  the  thorny  road, 

Up  to  the  highest  heaven  : 


i88 

Sweet  comfort  to  us  all  the  way, 
To  that  most  blessed  home, 

Until  we  hear  our  Father  say. 
Come,  ransomed  children,  come  ! 


Let  days  and  years  their  lessons  teach, 

In  their  incessant  flow  ; 
And  in  the  retrospect  now  reach, 

An  hundred  years  ago. 

O  God,  let  every  setting  sun. 
With  bright  and  brighter  glow, 

Cheer  on  the  work  so  well  begun. 
An  hundred  years  ago. 

May  children's  children  keep  in  mind, 

God's  promise  on  the  bow ; 
And  with  the  present  always  blend. 

An  hundred  years  ago. 


Our  fathers  sowed  full  hopeful, 

That  we  should  rise  and  reap 
The  harvest,  and  be  faithful. 

And  bright  their  mem'ry  keep; 
So  gratefully  we  gather. 

The  golden  sheaves  to-day ; 
And  joyful  come  together. 

To  bless  their  memory. 


i89 

To  God  we  are  indebted, 

For  all  we  now  enjoy; 
And  all  to  be  expected, 

In  his  divine  employ  ; 
To  Him  let  praise  and  glory, 

Ever  be  gladly  given. 
And  let  the  old,  old  story, 

Be  ever  new  in  heaven. 

There,  children  in  full  chorus. 

Shall  sing  in  sweetest  song ; 
Praises  to  Him  who  saved  us, 

And  made  our  weakness  strong. 
To  Him  whose  word  enlightens, 

And  cheers  our  upward  way ; 
Whose  very  presence  brightens. 

Our  everlasting  day. 


Blessed  memories  bright  and  clear. 
Cheer  and  help  us  waiting  here  ; 

Better  when  our  work  is   done. 
Far  beyond  the  setting  sun. 

God  of  life,  of  light,  and  love, 
Let  our  sweet  experience  prove 

The  rich  fullness  of  thy  grace. 
Till  in  heaven  we  take  our  place. 

There  with  loved  ones  gone  before, 
Shall  we  meet  to  part  no  more ; 

There  with  angels  join  to  sing. 
Praises  to  our  God  and  King. 


Letters. 

The  following  letter  is  from  Mr.  George  H. 
Stuart,  President  of  the  Merchants'  National  Bank 
of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  formerly  President  of 
the  U.  S.  Christian  Commission. 

Clifton  Springs,  N.  Y., 

October  27,  1885. 
Rev.  Jos.  R.  Kerr,  D.  D. 

My  Dear  Brother  :  When  I  accepted  your  kind 
invitation  to  be  present  and  speak  at  the  centennial  cel- 
ebration of  your  church,  I  hoped  and  expected  to  be  so 
far  recovered  as  to  be  able  to  do  so  ;  but,  not  being  able, 
I  write  this  brief  note  to  say  how  sadly  disappointed  I 
am  at  having  to  miss  participating  in  so  interesting  an 
occasion. 

I  had  looked  forward  with  much  pleasure  to  greeting 
once  again  Rev.  Dr.  Thomson,  of  Scotland,  one  of  your 
illustrious  predecessors,  with  whom  it  was  my  privilege 
to  hold  a  warm  personal  friendship. 

190 


191 

I  feel  a  deep  interest  in  the  earlier  history  of  the 
church.  It  may  interest  some  of  the  older  members  of 
the  congregation  to  know  that  fifty-four  years  ago,  as  a 
boy,  I  attended  your  church  with  my  oldest  brother, 
John.  During  the  fall,  winter,  and  spring  of  183 1  and 
'32,  while  the  cholera  was  in  New- York,  I  boarded  at 
the  corner  of  John  and  Pearl  streets,  and  twice  each 
Sabbath  day  walked  to  the  old  church  on  Mercer  street, 
which  was  then  considered  away  up  town.  Your  pres- 
ent location  was  then  farm-lands. 

The  pew  that  I  occupied  was  five  from  the  front  on 
the  right-hand  side  of  the  aisle  next  Broadway.  Very 
well  do  I  remember  the  old  pastor's  familiar  face.  Rev. 
Dr.  Stark ;  the  peculiar  shake  of  his  head  and  trembling 
of  the  eye,  as  he  gave  out  the  familiar  old  Psalms  of 
David.  I  recall  many  precious  Sabbaths,  and  the  im- 
pressions then  made  have  followed  me  and  helped  shape 
and  mold  my  Christian  character.  Since  those  days,  I 
have  retained  a  deep  interest  in  the  old  church  in  which 
were  spent  so  pleasantly  the  Sabbath  days  of  my  boy- 
hood, the  teachings  of  which  have  ever  remained  with 
me.  My  brothers  James  and  Joseph  subsequently  for 
many  years  were  members  and  officers  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and  died  in  its  communion,  thus  increasing  my 
love  for  the  old  church. 

It  has  come  to  my  mind  that  the  beloved  pastor  of 
your  church  in  1854  (Dr.  Thomson)  entertained  at  his 
house  that  eminent  missionary  of  the  gospel,  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Alexander  Duff,  whom  I  had  the  privilege  of  invit- 
ing to  our  country,  and  that  was  the  first  house  he  slept 
in  in  America,  and  your  church  was  the  first  one  he 
preached  in  in  New- York,  and  the  last  one  he  spoke  in 
at  that  memorable  parting  meeting  on  the  morning  he 
left  our  shores.  On  the  Sabbath  when  he  preached 
every  foot  of  room  in  the  old  Grand  street  church  was 
occupied.     My  seat  was  at  the  foot  of  the  pulpit,  near 


192 

one  of  the  reporters,  who  had,  during  one  of  the  Doctor's 
bursts  of  eloquence,  laid  down  his  pen,  at  which  I  re- 
minded him  that  we  wanted  the  sermon  fully  reported; 
and  I  shall  never  forget  the  rebuke  he  gave  me  when  he 
said,  "I  must  hear  that  man  {or  myself ."  Those  who 
were  permitted  to  hear  the  now  sainted  Duff  will  recall 
his  visit  to  your  church  as  an  occasion  of  much  more 
than  ordinary  interest. 

I  remember  very  pleasantly  that  partly  through  my 
instrumentality  you  were  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
old  church,  and  very  greatly  have  I  rejoiced  over  the 
success  that  has  attended  your  ministry,  and  the  contin- 
ued and  growing  prosperity  of  the  church  under  your 
kindly  care. 

In  view  of  these  facts,  you  will  see  how  great  a  self- 
denial  it  is  to  me  that  I  am  not  privileged  to  attend  these 
meetings. 

I  trust  and  pray  that  the  blessing  of  God  may  follow 
these  special  services  and  continue  abundantly  to  bless 
you  and  the  old  church. 

Fraternally  yours  in  Christ, 

Geo.  H.  Stuart.  . 


The  next  letter  is  from  Mr.  James  Robertson,  of 
London,  England,  President  of  the  Aldenham 
Institute,  and  Superintendent  of  the  Mission 
Schools  connected  w^ith  the  Regent  Square  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

21  Berners  Street,  London,  W., 
October,  1885. 
Dear  Brethren  :  When  I  had  the  pleasure  of  see- 
ing your  beloved  pastor  here  a  few  weeks  ago,  he  ex- 
tended to  me  a  cordial  invitation  to  be  present  at  the 


193 

centenary  celebration  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church, 
in  the  closing  week  of  this  month. 

Few  things  would  have  given  me  more  real  pleasure, 
had  it  been  possible  for  me  to  go.  But,  though  neces- 
sarily absent  in  person,  I  shall  be  with  you  in  spirit,  and 
shall  mingle  my  rejoicing  and  thanksgiving  with  those 
of  the  assembled  congregation,  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
the  Fourth  Church  has  been  for  a  hundred  years  a  shin- 
ing light,  distributing  with  no  stinted  measure  the  glori- 
ous sunshine  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

An  occasion  such  as  this  invites  you  to  examine  the 
record  of  these  hundred  years,  both  for  the  interest 
that  such  an  examination  possesses  in  itself,  and  that  the 
experience  of  the  past  may  serve  to  stimulate  you  to 
more  entire  consecration  to  the  Master's  service  in  the 
future. 

My  treacherous  memory  covers  but  a  very  short 
period  of  the  century,  as  it  was  only  in  1866  that  my 
name  was  added  to  the  roll,  and  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
being  associated  with  you  in  church  fellowship  for  not 
more  than  ten  years. 

It  may  be  of  interest,  however,  to  recall  that  during 
these  years  the  congregation  took  three  most  important 
steps,  all  of  which  indicated  the  progressive  spirit  which 
should  characterize  all  Christian  congregations.  I  refer 
first  to  the  removal  of  the  congregation  to  your  present 
place  of  worship,  which  will  doubtless  be  fittingly  referred 
to  in  the  resume  of  the  church's  history  you  will  have  the 
pleasure  of  listening  to. 

The  second  important  step  was  the  introduction  of  the 
organ  so  long  delayed  out  of  proper  regard  for  the  opin- 
ion of  those  who  could  not  view  such  a  step  as  other 
than  a  retrograde  one,  but  which  I  am  glad  to  know  has 
proved  to  be  a  real  blessing  because  helpful  in  making 
the  service  of  praise  to  be  more  perfectly  and  more 
heartily  rendered. 

25 


194 

The  third  important  step  was  the  starting  of  the  West 
Side  Mission,  which  resulted  from  a  meeting  of  young 
men  called  by  our  esteemed  pastor,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Thom- 
son, for  the  express  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  originate 
some  sphere  of  Christian  activity  in  which  the  young 
energies  of  the  congregation  might  profitably  find  an 
outlet.  It  is  pleasing  to  know  that  this  mission  still 
exists,  and  that  it  has  been  instrumental  in  fulfilling  to  a 
large  extent  the  object  of  its  existence. 

Among  the  memories  affecting  me  personally,  I  shall 
never  forget  with  what  reluctance  I  diffidently  assumed 
the  charge  of  a  young  men's  Bible-class  at  the  urgent 
solicitation  of  Dr.  Thomson,  and  how  much  pleasure  I 
afterward  found  in  conducting  it,  though  ever  conscious 
of  the  imperfect  manner  in  which  that  duty  was  per- 
formed. 

Nor  shall  I  cease  to  remember  the  impressive  occasion 
when  in  1870  I  was  one  of  six  who,  after  having  been 
duly  elected  by  the  congregation,  were  solemnly  or- 
dained to  the  office  of  the  eldership. 

Neither  can  I  forget  the  indulgence  and  forbearance 
extended  to  me,  both  by  the  office-bearers  of  the  church 
and  my  fellow-workers  at  the  mission,  during  the  years 
I  ventured,  without  experience  and  in  much  weakness, 
to  superintend  the  work  at  the  West  Side  Mission. 

I  have  alluded  to  these  personal  reminiscences  because 
I  feel  sure  there  are  many  in  the  congregation  in  whose 
minds  they  will  stir  memories  that  perhaps  have  been 
long  dormant.  There  is  not  one  of  them  I  am  not  thankful 
for,  and  I  am  free  to  acknowledge  that  the  experience  I 
gained  by  them  has  in  some  measure  fitted,  or  at  least 
helped  me  to  a  better  performance  of  duty  than  other- 
wise would  have  been  possible  in  the  much  wider  sphere 
of  church  work  in  which  I  now  find  myself  engaged. 

The  years  referred  to  bring  back  to  the  mind's  vision 
the  holy  men  who  were  then  the  leaders  of  the  congre- 


195 

gation,  namely :  Mr.  Whitewright,  Mr.  McKenzie,  Mr. 
Allan,  Mr.  Aitken,  Mr.  Kydd,  Mr.  James  Morrison, 
James  and  Joseph  Stuart.  What  memories  cluster 
round  each  name  !  I  could  fill  pages  of  detail  about 
them  ;  this,  however,  would  obviously  be  out  of  place 
in  a  communication  of  this  character. 

May  God  bless  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church. 
May  you  enter  on  your  second  century  resolved  that 
you  will  be  more  His  than  you  have  ever  been,  and 
though  none  of  you  can  be  present  at  the  celebration  of 
the  second  centenary,  you  can  leave  behind  you  such  a 
record  of  personal  holiness.  Christian  faith,  and  Christian 
activity  as  shall  command  the  admiration  of  the  gener- 
ation to  come,  and  serve  as  a  pattern  through  the  whole 
future  history  of  the  congregation.  Believe  me,  dear 
brethren, 

Yours  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  love, 

James  Robertson. 


The  following  is  from  Robert  Donald,  Esq., 
Provost  of  Dunfermline,  Scotland. 

City  Chambers,  Dunfermline, 
26  September,  1885. 

Rev.  Joseph  Kerr,  D.  D. ,  New  -  York. 

My  Dear  Sir  :  I  trust  you  have  arrived  home  safe 
and  well,  much  improved  in  health  by  your  tour  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  ready  for  the  celebration  of  the 
centennial  of  the  church  endeared  to  you  and  me  by 
many  hallowed  associations.  I  think  the  centennial  of 
the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  New- York  really  be- 
gan to  be  celebrated  when  Mr.  Thomas  Kirkpatrick  and 
I  met  you  in  Edinburgh  last  month.     We  were  verily  a 


196 


circle  of  antiquaries  when  we  sat  down  to  dinner  on  that 
memorable  day.  Our  lively  little  dinner-party  augured 
well  for  the  success  of  the  Great  Day  of  the  Feast  draw- 
ing near.  Your  centennial  presence  was  decidedly 
patriarchal,  with  your  son  Joseph  alongside  of  us.  On 
your  right  hand  you  had  Mr.  George  Robertson,  whose 
position  under  the  Crown  here  is  custodian  of  the  Palace 
and  Abbey  of  Dunfermline.  The  Abbey  is  connected 
with  the  parish  church.  It  was  founded  in  1070  by 
Queen  Margaret,  wife  of  Malcolm,  King  of  Scotland,  all 
of  which  is  illustrated  in  a  large  window  in  the  parish 
church,  designed  by  Sir  Noel  Paton,  and  it  is  the  most 
costly  window  in  Scotland.  On  your  left  hand  was  Dr. 
Munro,  of  Kilmarnock,  author  of  the  antiquarian  book. 
Lake  Dwellings  of  Scotland.  He  and  I  went  that  day  on 
a  pilgrimage  to  some  newly-discovered  tombs  of  prehis- 
toric Scotchmen.  We  handled  the  ashes  and  the  urns 
of  the  Stone  period  of  our  country.  Surely  all  this  was 
prophetic  of  the  centennial  day  approaching.  In  the 
midst  of  such  gentlemen  and  such  grand  old  buildings 
and  such  relics  of  antiquity,  a  hundred  years  seem  of 
small  account;  but,  for  all  that,  the  centennial  of  your 
church  is  a  most  important  event  to  you  and  me.  We 
say  with  the  Psalmist,  "A  day  in  thy  courts  is  better 
than  a  thousand,"  etc.,  etc. 

I  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  old  Grand  Street 
Church  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1856,  and  well  remem- 
ber the  good  old  times  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  John  Thomson,  our  dear  old  friend,  and  the  other 
standard-bearers  in  the  church  of  those  days,  who  were 
"able  men,  such  as  fear  God, —  men  of  truth."  As  one 
after  another  of  them  was  removed,  the  more  anxious 
minds  of  the  church  were  often  afraid  others  might  not 
be  found  ready  and  willing  to  fill  up  the  breaches  ;  but  a 
kind  Providence  brought  forward  men  who  by  their 
prayers,  their  money,  and  their  influence  maintained  the 


197 

integrity  and  efficiency  of  the  church   now  prospering 
under  your  own  good  ministry. 

I  trust  you  and  those  engaged  with  you  in  the  work 
of  the  church  may  be  blessed  in  your  work. 

With  best  wishes  and  kindest  regards   for  you  and 
yours,  I  remain,  Yours  faithfully, 

Robert  Donald. 

P.  S.   Herewith  is  a  draft  for  one  hundred  dollars  in 
behalf  of  centennial  expenses. —  R.  D. 


The  Rev.  Henry  C.  Cronin,  the  first  missionary 
in  charge  of  the  West  Side  Chapel,  writes : 

Parsonage,  Second  Congregational  Church, 

Hamilton,  N.  Y.,  October  23d,  1885. 

Mr.  John  H.  Allen,  69  Seventh  Avenue,  New -York. 

My  Dear  Friend  :  I  received  to-day,  addressed  in 
your  handwriting,  an  invitation  to  attend  the  centennial 
services  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church,  for  which 
please  accept  my  thanks. 

I  regret  that,  owing  to  my  church  work  and  to  sick- 
ness in  my  family,  I  shall  be  deprived  the  pleasure  of 
being  in  attendance  upon  what  will  doubtless  be  very 
interesting  and  delightful  services. 

The  receipt  of  your  invitation  brings  up  many  mem- 
ories of  the  past  in  connection  with  the  Fourth  Church 
and  its  Mission  ;  of  how  the  Lord  led  us  and  cared  for 
us,  and  was  better  to  us  than  our  fears.  I  congratulate 
you  and  the  church,  with  its  pastor,  upon  the  past,  the 
present,  and  the  outlook  for  the  future,  and  pray  that 
that   future    may  prove  more  glorious    than  the  past ; 


198 

that  the  candlestick  may  never  be  removed  out  of  its 
place,  but  that  you  who  are  the  church  of  to-day,  and 
they  who  shall  be  the  church  of  the  future,  may  see  her 
"  A  quiet  habitation  —  a  tabernacle  that  shall  not  be 
taken  down  ;  that  not  one  of  her  stakes  shall  ever  be  re- 
moved, neither  shall  any  of  the  cords  thereof  be  broken." 
If  you  shall  have  opportunity,  please  remember  me 
kindly  to  Drs.  Thomson,  Spaulding,  and  Kerr,  and  to 
all  my  old  friends.  And  believe  me  to  remain. 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

Henry  C.  Cronin. 


The  Rev.  George  S.  Chambers,  Pastor  of  the 
Pine  Street  Presbyterian  Church,  Harrisburg,  Pa., 
sends  this  cordial  greeting  : 


Harrisburg,  October  23,  1885. 

Dear  Bro.  Kerr  :  I  have  just  received  the  bill  of 
fare.  It  will  take  them  another  hundred  years  to  get 
over  it.  For  think  of  it !  Thomson,  and  Kerr,  and  Or- 
miston,  and  Crosby,  and  Hall,  and  Robinson,  and  Booth, 
and  Stuart,  and  Taylor,  and  Wilson,  and  Alexander,  and 
Shiland,  and  Carter,  and  Hamilton,  and  Spaulding,  and 
Field,  and  Chambers,  and  Rossiter,  and  Van  Dyke,  and 
Prime,  and  a  collation  !  It  takes  one's  breath  away  to 
look  at  it.  You  have  evidently  great  faith  in  the  appro- 
priating and  enduring  power  of  the  "old  Fourth."  How 
I  wish  I  could  be  there !  But  with  this  go  my  heartiest 
and  highest  wishes  for  the  success  of  the  centennial,  and 
your  own  prosperity  and  happiness.  Give  my  warmest 
regards  to  Dr.  Thomson.  I  often  think  of  him  as  the 
first  minister  in  New -York  with  whom  I  got  acquainted; 
who  introduced  me  to  the  New -York  Presbytery;  who 


199 

was  such  a  kind  and  wise  counselor ;  who  was  so  ready- 
to  help  a  young  minister  when  in  a  tight  place ;  and  who 
always  welcomed  me  to  his  home.  I  often  have  thought 
of  our  fellowship,  and  have  wished  that  I  could  meet 
him  again. 

May  you  have  a  grand,  good  time, — and  you 
certainly  will  if  there  is  anything  in  the  hopes  and 
prayers  of  Yours  fraternally, 

George  S.  Chambers. 


Another  letter  is  from  the  Rev.  Archibald 
McCullagh,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  the  Ross  Street 
Presbyterian  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

135  Bedford  Avenue,  Brooklyn, 

October  26,  1885. 

My  Dear  Bro.  Kerr  :  Accept  my  hearty  con- 
gratulations that  your  church  has  completed  her  hun- 
dredth year,  and  under  your  efficient  ministry  is  still 
young,  strong,  vigorous,  and  progressive  as  at  any  pre- 
vious period  of  her  existence.  I  hope  the  centennial 
exercises  may  not  only  prove  interesting  in  themselves, 
but  be  productive  of  lasting  good,  and  tend  to  widen 
the  sphere  of  the  influence  of  your  church  in  the  years 
which  are  to  come. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Archibald  McCullagh. 


The  Rev.  John  B.  Dales,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of 
the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  in  North  America,  writes : 


200 


136  North  i8th  Street,  Philadelphia, 
October  28,  1885. 

Dear  Dr.  Kerr:  Yesterday  I  was  called  to  visit 
your  city  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  American  portion 
of  the  Commission  of  the  Presbyterian  Alliance.  While 
there  I  heard  at  length  of  the  good  time  you  and  your 
people  are  having  this  week;  and,  being  in  the  large  list 
of  your  friends  here  and  elsewhere,  I  would,  if  my  hur- 
ried time  had  at  all  allowed,  have  gone  to  your  house 
and  been  at  some  one,  at  least,  of  your  meetings.  You 
are,  my  dear  brother,  to  be  congratulated,  as  I  most 
earnestly  do  congratulate  you,  upon  being  permitted  to 
sing  so  much  of  goodness  and  mercy  in  your  pastoral 
charge.  Your  people  have  had  an  honored  and  useful 
history,  and  they  do  truly  nobly  and  well  in  commem- 
orating as  they  do  this  week  the  covenant  faithfulness 
and  goodness  of  the  God  of  their  fathers  and  their  own 
God.  Most  earnestly  do  I  join  my  prayer  with  many 
others  that  the  past  may  be  but  as  the  beginning  and  the 
precursor  of  many,  very  many,  years  of  still  more  and 
more  enriching  blessing. 

In  his  sovereign  providence,  God  took  you  to  that 
charge,  and  I  have  rejoiced  in  hearing  from  time  to 
time  of  your  having  cheering  and  comforting  tokens  of 
His  favor.  May  that  happiest  of  all  joys  for  a  pastor  be 
ever  largely  yours,  viz.,  the  joy  of  seeing  souls  saved, 
your  people  love  you,  and  the  children  of  God  edified 
and  fitted  for  glory  through  your  instrumentahty  there. 
Ever  yours  very  truly, 

J.  B.  Dales. 

From  France  come  the  congratulatory  words 
of  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Newell,  Jr.,  the  devoted  worker 
in  the  MacAU  Mission  at  Paris. 


20I 

Mission  Populaire  Evangelique  de  France. 

R.  W.  MacAll,  32,  Rue  Pierre-Guerin, 

Auteuil-Paris,  October  16,  1885. 

Very  Dear  Dr.  Kerr  :  Permit  me  to  send  to  you 
and  to  your  dear  people  a  word  of  greeting.  You  told 
me  that  on  the  last  days  of  October  you  expected  to 
celebrate  the  one  hundredth  birthday  of  your  church. 
So  old  and  yet  so  young ;  as  young,  as  vigorous,  as 
lovely  as  in  the  days  of  your  youth ;  pastor  and  people 
younger  to-day  than  ten  years  ago ;  literally  renewing 
your  youth. 

Go  on,  dear  friends,  in  this  mysterious  life  of  grace, 
adding  century  to  century,  yet  adding  ever  force  and 
beauty,  a  century-plant  sending  forth  constant  blossoms, 
bearing  daily  fruit.  Abraham  and  Sarah  laughed  that 
they  should  have  a  son  when  they  were  a  hundred 
years  old.  May  you,  like  them,  be  blessed  with  the 
seed  the  Lord  hath  promised  you.  And  may  those 
born  of  God  among  you  occupy  the  world  for  Christ. 

Many  lands  bless  you  to-day  ;  many  souls  pray  for 
you.  And  France,  who  has  felt  the  quickening  impulse 
of  your  sympathy  and  prayer  and  endeavor,  begs  to 
speak  to  you  her  thanks  ;  and  little  among  the  multitude 
of  your  friends,  even  I  may  love  you  and  pray  for  you 
and  thank  God  for  you. 

Very  sincerely  yours  in  the  ever-living  Church, 

William  Newell,  Jr. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Kerr,  D.  D.,  and  Church. 


26 


Extracts  of  Press  Notices. 


The  New-York  Observer  said  : 

Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  Centennial. 

The  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  this  city,  now 
under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Joseph  R.  Kerr,  is  cele- 
brating its  centennial  during  the  present  week.  On 
Sunday  morning  the  Rev.  John  Thomson,  D.  D.,  of 
Scotland,  who  was  pastor  from  185 1  to  1864,  with  an 
interval  of  four  years,  preached.  In  the  afternoon  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Kerr  preached  an  historical  discourse  of  great 
interest,  giving  the  annals  of  the  church  from  its  founda- 
tion in  1785  to  the  present  time,  and  also  a  detailed 
report  of  the  work  which  has  been  accomplished  by  this 
organization  since  its  commencement. 

This  discourse  is  to  be  published  in  full,  and  will  be  a 
valuable  addition  to  the  historical  records  of  the  churches 
of  the  city. 

The  centennial  services  continue  every  evening  of 
the  present  week,  ministers  and  laymen  of  various 
denominations  taking  part. 


203 

(From  the  New- York  Evangelist.) 

The  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  is  commemorating 
the  completion  of  its  first  century,  it  having  been  organ- 
ized in  the  autumn  of  1785,  just  at  the  close  of  the  Revo- 
lution. The  pastor,  Dr.  Joseph  R.  Kerr,  has  had  printed  a 
handsome,  broad-paged  invitation,  and  also  programme 
of  the  proceedings,  which  will  be  preserved  by  very 
many  as  one  of  the  souvenirs  of  the  occasion.  The 
centennial  services  began  on  Sunday,  Oct.  25th,  and 
continued  through  the  week,  concluding  on  the  follow- 
ing Lord's  day,  Nov.  1st,  with  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  at  4  P.  M.,  conducted  by  Rev.  Drs. 
Thomson,  Spaulding,  and  the  pastor. 


The  Scoiiish-Americaii  Journal,  the  organ  of  the  Scottish  residents 
of  this  country,  gave  a  lengthy  historical  account  of  the  church 
and  the  centenary,  from  which  is  taken  the  following: 

One  Hundred  Years  Old. 

The  centennial  exercises  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian 
Church,  this  city,  commenced  on  Sabbath  morning  last 
in  presence  of  a  congregation  which  completely  filled 
the  large  building  on  West  Thirty-fourth  Street.  Old 
friends  of  the  church  from  far  and  near  were  there  in 
large  numbers,  and  the  reunion  was  most  impressive. 
They  were  warmly  welcomed  by  the  present  members 
of  the  congregation.  The  sacred  edifice  was  very  taste- 
fully decorated  with  a  large  assortment  of  plants,  leaves, 
etc.,  and  their  beautiful  autumnal  tints  had  a  very  pleas- 
ing effect.  Over  the  pulpit  were  placed  prominently  the 
dates  1785  and  1885.  The  Rev.  Dr.  John  Thomson, 
formerly  pastor  of  the  church,  occupied  the  pulpit,  and 
preached  a  practical  and  earnest  discourse  from  the  text 
in  John  xvii.  22 — "  The  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  I 


204 

have  given  to  them."  His  theme  was  the  priceless 
privilege  of  being  blessed  of  the  Lord  with  saving  grace. 

The  church  was  again  crowded  at  the  afternoon 
service. 

The  sermon  took  the  form  of  an  historical  discourse 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  R.  Kerr,  the  pastor  of  the 
church,  whose  text  was  from  Deuteronomy  xxxii.  7  — 
"  Remember  the  days  of  old ;  consider  the  years  of 
generation  and  generation."  Dr.  Kerr  traced  the  history 
of  the  church  from  its  humble  beginning  until  the  pres- 
ent time,  when  it  holds  an  honored  position  among  the 
active  working  churches  within  the  bounds  of  the 
Presbytery  of  New-York.  The  exercises  were  of  a  very 
interesting  character,  and  congratulatory  to  the  Christian 
work  done  by  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  in  New- 
York  during  the  last  hundred  years. 

In  all,  it  is  a  most  delightful  season  in  the  history  of 
the  Fourth  Church. 


The  meetings  were  favorably  noticed  from  day 
to  day  by  the  Times,  the  Herald,  the  World,  the 
Mail  and  Express,  and  the  Evening  Telegram, 
and  thus  public  interest  was  sustained  up  to  the 
closing  service. 


iHESE  Centennial  Services  were  largely 
attended,  business  and  social  engage- 
'ments  gave  way,  while  old  and  young 
^^^^  heartily  united  in  making  the  occasion 
a  splendid  success. 

The  music  was  conducted  by  Mr.  W.  A.  Place 
and  Mr.  J.  H.  Munro,  assisted  by  a  trained  vol- 
unteer choir. 

The  ushers  were  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  W. 
H.  Harrison,  and  the  programme-distributers 
were  lads  from  our  Sabbath  schools. 

The  church  was  elaborately  decorated  with 
autumnal  foliage,  palms,  and  flowering  plants. 
In  front  of  the  desk  was  a  large  floral  Bible, 
and  on  the  walls  were  the  suggestive  figures, 
1785-1885. 

Thus  a  memorable  period  in  our  history  has 
been  commemorated,  and  it  is  hoped  that  as  often 
as  these  pages  are  perused,  something  of  the 
pleasure  and  profit  of  this  happy  week  may  be 
enjoyed  by  the  reader. 


The  engravings  of  the  churches  at  Grand  and 
Mercer  streets  and  Grand  and  Crosby  streets 
were  executed  and  presented  by  one  of  our  young 
lady  members,  Miss  Emma  S.  Haslett. 


The  preparation  of  this  Record  of  the  Centen- 
nial Anniversary  was  referred,  with  power,  to  the 
Pastor  and  the  Printing  Committee. 


THE  DE  VINNE  PRESS. 


Princeton  Theological   Seminary   Libraries 


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